Credits:

Gershwin (1898-1937)

Description:

Porgy and Bess" was the first opera to be performed at the Met in about 30 years, and the composer himself gave strict orders that "only Negroes are allowed to sing" on the live CD. As if to confirm his words, "Porgy and Bess" is now highly regarded as a work that vividly expresses the black society of the time, not only in its music, including summertime songs, but also in its story, psychological portrayal, and all other elements. On the other hand, it is undeniable that there have been surprisingly few legitimate performances of the work, as it has been jazzed up and turned into a musical, thus losing its original musical precision. Opening the 2019-20 season at the Metropolitan Opera was Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess. It was the Met's first production of the much-talked-about work in about 30 years. Eric Owens, who has been featured at the San Francisco Opera and elsewhere as Porgy, was hired for this production, and his deep bass-baritone voice sounded so clear that one would think he was the only choice to play Porgy. Beth is Angel Blue, a rising star soprano.Includes a 20-page booklet. No bilingual lyrics are included. Warner Music Japan