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Despite the reception of the audience at the premiere of the
Troubled Island, the critics found ways to cast negative
connotations on the work. Helen Thigpen reported that a conspiracy
was underfoot. She stated that one of the critics said, " Well, we are
only going to let just so many Negroes through." The music critic,
Howard Taubman came to Still's hotel room and told him, "Billy,
because I'm your friend I think that I should tell you this: The
critics have had a meeting to decide what to do about your opera.
They think that the colored boy has gone far enough, and they have
voted to pan Troubled Island."
New York Times,
1949
Journal-American and
Post
Herald Tribune
New York Sun
Monitor
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