Porgy and Bess
Updated
Porgy and Bess is set in the vibrant community of Catfish Row, in Charleston, South Carolina, during the 1920s.
Synopsis
The opera tells the story of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar who attempts to rescue Bess from the clutches of Crown, her violent and possessive lover, and Sportin’ Life, a drug dealer.
The narrative explores themes of love, betrayal, and redemption against the backdrop of poverty, racism, and societal expectations.
The work is celebrated for its rich character development, complex emotional landscapes, and its blending of classical opera with elements of jazz, folk, and blues.
Porgy and Bess features some of George Gershwin’s most famous pieces, including the much-loved aria Summertime.
About the show
- Written by: DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
- Premiered: 1935
- Genres & themes: 1930s, Drama, Opera, Romance, Three
- Setting: 1920s, America
Songs from Porgy and Bess
- Summertime
- A Woman Is a Sometime Thing
- Gone, Gone, Gone
- My Man’s Gone Now
- I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’
- Buzzard Song
- Bess, You Is My Woman Now
- It Ain’t Necessarily So
- What You Want Wid Bess?
- A Red-Headed Woman
- Clara, Clara, Don’t You Be Downhearted
- There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York
- Oh, Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess?
- I’m On My Way