This is from Dierdre Murray, musical adaptor of the upcoming Diane Paulus "Porgy and Bess". I got the quote from another site.
"At the beginning of the show, Clara is singing 'Summertime' to her baby. But when I listened to it, I asked myself, 'Why is she singing so high? That would wake the baby up. It has to be a lullaby.' So I took the whole thing down. And then I decided that I wanted to use an accordion, because whenever I hear an accordion it always transports me someplace else—a folkloric place that doesn't have machines. So the show now opens with Clara singing 'Summertime' as a duet with the accordion."
To me there is no more thrilling opening to a show - musical or opera - than Porgy and Bess's harsh honky tonk piano music suddenly dissolving into the langorous beauty of Clara's high floating soprano singing to her baby on a hot summer night. Why on earth would they mess with one of the great moments of the piece and add an accordian!!!
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
Nooo, I hate when they transpose "Summertime" down. Let sopranos have it!
And that accordion thing is stupid, IMO.
This is currently being discussed on the larger P&B thread. Some people have contributed interesting responses. It seems like a totally pig-headed idea.
I guess we should just be glad that she isn't similarly transported by bagpipes.
"Whenever I hear an accordion, It always transports me some place else"
Me too, Poland.
Updated On: 8/13/11 at 01:28 PM
If they're using an accordion for the show's opening
number,I wish they'd do "Valse Milieu".
OK, that's it! I take back all of my "let's wait and see!" Now I stand proudly with Sondheim!
Enough is f***in' enough!
What is this Faubourg Catfish?
""Whenever I hear an accordion, It always transports me some place else"
Me too, Poland. "
Just passed a sip full of coffee through my nose!
"Fish are jumpin', 'cause dis song was too high."
I agree with Mallardo 100%. The description given of the proper opening is just perfect. And to think that I actually played the accordion when I was a kid! I wonder what the next surprise will be from the music department!!!
"Ooooh, your daddy's rich, and your ma is a mezzo ..."
And Porgy can make his final exit singing "Grand Knowing You".
In John Doyles' version,
Clara actually plays the accordion.
Updated On: 8/13/11 at 02:59 PM
That is really funny.
And NOT that well.
best 12 and Curtain Pulldown, you made my day! very funny!
I'm all for naturalism, but getting a little out of control, aren't we?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/28/09
I'm still optimistic about this project (mostly because of Audra) but yikes. These kind of changes are just...bizarre. I'm glad they're not opening cold on Broadway. If the changes made are reviled in Boston, they may rethink them for Broadway. I hope...
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/11
When I saw this report on the other thread I honestly thought it was a joke.
The remarks from the creators of this new version just keep getting worse...
Who the F*CK is she to decide the song is too high?
I don't mind them taking the song down - Audra will be amazing no matter what - but the accordion is a stupid idea. I hope I end up eating my words, but I don't think I'll enjoy THAT revised an opening.
It won't be Audra singing it though. She's Bess. Clara is a relatively minor role and "Summertime" is her moment.
Nikki Renee Daniels will be singing "Summertime".
Um, Clara sings the song, not Bess. Although, an accordion COULD be evocative when Bess sings it to the baby in the quiet aftermath of the hurricane. But I doubt it.
Can't they just cast someone with a really pretty head voice? That won't sound harsh for a lullaby, would it? And do people actually belt this song in the original key? And if we're all being Punked! by Ashton Kutcher, I'll hunt him down and kick him square in the hoohoodilly.
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