75 years ago tonight...

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 4:14pm

Major anniversary today. On October 10, 1935 Gershwin's folk opera PORGY AND BESS opened at the Alvin theatre for a disappointingly brief run of 135 performances.

75 years ago tonight Broadway audiences were introduced to the glories of "Summertime", "My Man's Gone Now" and "Bess You is my Woman now."

A new CD of the score conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt has just been released by Sony:

http://www.amazon.com/Gershwin-Porgy-Bess-Nikolaus-Harnoncourt/dp/B002R5V7LM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286740336&sr=1-8

(My copy of this hasn't arrived so I can't comment on it other than to say it was just released.)

Of the complete recordings, my prefernce is for the RCA Red Seal set based on the 1976 Houston Grand Opera production:

http://www.amazon.com/George-Gershwins-Porgy-Houston-Grand/dp/B000003EMO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286740336&sr=1-7

For those who want just highlights the 1963 recording with William Warfield and Leontyne Price is a popular favourite:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_scat_5174_ln?rh=n%3A5174%2Ck%3APORGY+AND+BESS&keywords=PORGY+AND+BESS&ie=UTF8&qid=1286740327&scn=5174&h=f2afc92ef4c40f16afd555c5fb697c456b230bcd

For a taste of the original cast - although recorded 5 years after the premiere - Decca's 78-rpm album is available on CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Gershwin-Porgy-Bess-Members-Original/dp/B000002OJM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286740336&sr=1-5

PORGY AND BESS is adaptable. Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald offer a version of the score:

http://www.amazon.com/Porgy-Bess-Reis-Rstr-Mlps/dp/B000VT2NH8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1286740327&sr=8-7

Equally amusing is a complete set starring Mel Torme and Frances Faye, that has some rather curious narration linking the musical sequences:

http://www.amazon.com/Porgy-Bess-George-Gershwin/dp/B000AAIXQS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286741390&sr=1-9


Also one of the most famous jazz renditions of the score was an album made by Miles Davis:

http://www.amazon.com/Porgy-Bess-Miles-Davis/dp/B000002AH6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286740336&sr=1-2


Whether you prefer Gershwin's score sung operatically or by jazz singers (or somewhere in between)today - Oct 10, 2010 - is the perfect day to listen to this fantastic piece of American music.

[laurienotlaurey]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 5:36pm

I can't believe nobody's commented yet--this is major!
"Porgy and Bess" is my favorite opera, favorite opera/musical hybrid , and just one of my favorite 'things', period. I first came to it 25 years ago, at 13, via my mom's copy of the movie soundtrack. I've seen it twice at SF Opera, love the Louis/Ella version, and just recently cycled once again through the Houston Grand Opera recording, which I might need to pop in again today.
Thank you so much for alerting me to this huge milestone.

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 5:40pm

For the more unconventional but successful covers of the songs from Porgy, try Brian Wilson's Gershwin album, in which he applies his mixture of obsessive reverence and idiosyncratic orchestration to "Summertime" (very Twin Peaks, echoing guitars and jazz chords), "Ain't Necessarily So" and others.

And even though she's white, you gotta love Janis Joplin's "Summertime" as well.

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 6:01pm

Nina Simone's "I Loves You Porgy" is heartbreaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq5A0YadWKs

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 7:31pm

Bobby Darin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" is fantastic.

[jv92]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 7:39pm

I don't know what else to say, but Happy Birthday 'Porgy.' A brilliant opera. I don't consider it a musical. It's really an opera.

[musikman]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 9:35pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT6LDh7cO1g

^ Yes Please.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 9:38pm

My friend Keith Lockhart will be conducting a 75th Anniversary production of PORGY AND BESS in Atlanta this winter (February-March).

[twinbelters]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 4:07pm

No love for the Columbia recording?

http://www.amazon.com/Masterworks-Heritage-Gershwin-Porgy-Bess/dp/B000007QCJ/ref=sr_1_18?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1286827460&sr=1-18

That's the only version I own and I think it's gorgeous!

Happy belated anniversary P&G! And happy coming out day, y'all.

[Sean2]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 4:40pm

Great post, frontrowcentre2! Thank you so much! I often wish I could go back and see the first night of so many shows...

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/12/10 at 12:50am

Actually, Twin, the Columbia recording was my first exposure to the full show. I was very glad when Sony re-released it on CD. and sorry that it has since been deleted. I was focussed more on in-print versions.

[Q]

Posted: 10/12/10 at 2:28am

They only sang a few of the numbers, but seeing Stokes and Audra in a 'highlights' concert a couple of summers ago at the Hollywood Bowl was magical.