Porgy and Bess: Musical Info & Synopsis
Synopsis:
Porgy and Bess tells the story of Porgy, a beggar with a disability, who is living in the fictional Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina. As his life becomes entwined with Bess, a woman struggling with a troubled past and current tumultuous relationship, Porgy tries to find a way to rescue Bess from her current situation. Porgy and Bess explores themes of love, hardship, and the Black experience in the early 20th century.
Musical Information
Musical Type: Opera (1935)
Cast Size: 24+
Genre: Drama
Setting: 1930s / USA (South Carolina)
Creative Team
Music: George Gershwin
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
Libretto: DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward
Cast Albums
Original Broadway Cast (1940)➝
Houston Grand Opera Cast (1976)➝
Nashville Symphony Cast (2006)➝
Chamber Orchestra of Europe Cast (2009)➝
Metropolitan Opera Cast (2020)➝
Resources
Licensing: Concord Theatricals➝
Sheet Music: Amazon➝
Tags
1930s, Based on a Book, Dramatic, Jazz, Operatic, Popular, Summer
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