Porgy and Bess

Barberous · Porgy and Bess

Okay, so it's not a Sondheim show, but I've read that it's his favourite musical, so thought I might get some answers from his fans. I don't know this show at all. I've heard that many different versions have been produced, from long and operatic to short and more typically music theatre-esque. People who know this show, what do you think of it? Do you share Sondheim's high opinion of it? What are good version/s to try - movies, recordings, etc - to get a good impression of it?

RainbowJude · PORGY AND BESS

Sondheim's statements in regard to Porgy and Bess come from the New York Times Magazine article "Conversations with Sondheim". The article is referenced in The Cambridge Companion to the Musical in the chapter on Sondheim ("Stephen Sondheim and the Musical of the Outsider"). In those 'conversations', Sondheim says that Porgy and Bess is his favourite score, which doesn't necessarily mean it's his favourite musical as there is a difference between those words and Sondheim isn't one to be vague in his choice of words. The semantics here are particularly important as Porgy and Bess because George Gershwin composed the piece as an opera, not a musical.

Gershwin's popular repertoire as well as the fact that Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway using dialogue instead of Gershwin's recitative skewed perceptions of the nature of the piece and it was not widely recognised as the opera it was intended to be until after the 1976 production by Housten Grand Opera, which utilised Gershwin's full score. Cuts for the 1935 production were done by Gershwin himself to try and reduce the running time of the show. Other things that skew perceptions of what Porgy and Bess is, are the 1959 film and - in particular - Trevor Nunn's 2006 production, which both tried to force the piece into the conventions of a musical.

I've seen a production of the full score and it was a long sit. There is so much music and it's beautiful, but that particular production did not sustain my interest over the full running time of the score. However, I'm glad I've seen the whole thing as it is such a seminal piece.

I'm not sure what to recommend in terms of recordings. There is so much out there and I guess it largely depends on how much you want to familiarise yourself with the material. The recording I have features original cast members Anne Brown and Todd Duncan. I like it, but I am sure that there are better choices in terms of showcasing what Gershwin wrote for someone who is unfamiliar with Porgy and Bess.

Later days
David

Robinflamingo

The actual soundtrack of the film is wonderful (even though Cab Calloway stands in for Sammy Davis Jr. as Sportin' Life because of contractual crap) and I grew up listening to it. I mean literally grew up from baby on. I was the only three year old white girl who would walk around the grocery store with her mother singing "Bess You Is My Woman Now".

There is a version with Leontyne Price which is wonderful. I'm sure there's something to be said for most of the versions except the ones who use caucasian performers...it is definitely a black folk opera.

Barberous

Thanks to you both for your detailed comments. For nerds who want to know more re the tenuous connection to Sondheim, he also mentions Porgy and Bess here:

http://www.stageandscreenonline.com/stephen_sondheim_-_in_conve.html

Even he agrees that the show can be a long sit Smile

Barberous	Porgy and Bess Okay, so it's not a Sondheim show, but I've read that it's his favourite musical, so thought I might get some answers from his fans. I don't know this show at all. I've heard that many different versions have been produced, from long and operatic to short and more typically music theatre-esque. People who know this show, what do you think of it? Do you share Sondheim's high opinion of it? What are good version/s to try - movies, recordings, etc - to get a good impression of it?
RainbowJude	PORGY AND BESS Sondheim's statements in regard to Porgy and Bess come from the New York Times Magazine article "Conversations with Sondheim". The article is referenced in The Cambridge Companion to the Musical in the chapter on Sondheim ("Stephen Sondheim and the Musical of the Outsider"). In those 'conversations', Sondheim says that Porgy and Bess is his favourite score, which doesn't necessarily mean it's his favourite musical as there is a difference between those words and Sondheim isn't one to be vague in his choice of words. The semantics here are particularly important as Porgy and Bess because George Gershwin composed the piece as an opera, not a musical. Gershwin's popular repertoire as well as the fact that Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway using dialogue instead of Gershwin's recitative skewed perceptions of the nature of the piece and it was not widely recognised as the opera it was intended to be until after the 1976 production by Housten Grand Opera, which utilised Gershwin's full score. Cuts for the 1935 production were done by Gershwin himself to try and reduce the running time of the show. Other things that skew perceptions of what Porgy and Bess is, are the 1959 film and - in particular - Trevor Nunn's 2006 production, which both tried to force the piece into the conventions of a musical. I've seen a production of the full score and it was a long sit. There is so much music and it's beautiful, but that particular production did not sustain my interest over the full running time of the score. However, I'm glad I've seen the whole thing as it is such a seminal piece. I'm not sure what to recommend in terms of recordings. There is so much out there and I guess it largely depends on how much you want to familiarise yourself with the material. The recording I have features original cast members Anne Brown and Todd Duncan. I like it, but I am sure that there are better choices in terms of showcasing what Gershwin wrote for someone who is unfamiliar with Porgy and Bess. Later days David
Robinflamingo	The actual soundtrack of the film is wonderful (even though Cab Calloway stands in for Sammy Davis Jr. as Sportin' Life because of contractual crap) and I grew up listening to it. I mean literally grew up from baby on. I was the only three year old white girl who would walk around the grocery store with her mother singing "Bess You Is My Woman Now". There is a version with Leontyne Price which is wonderful. I'm sure there's something to be said for most of the versions except the ones who use caucasian performers...it is definitely a black folk opera.
Barberous	Thanks to you both for your detailed comments. For nerds who want to know more re the tenuous connection to Sondheim, he also mentions Porgy and Bess here: http://www.stageandscreenonline.com/stephen_sondheim_-_in_conve.html Even he agrees that the show can be a long sit

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