Considered one of the most important operas written in the 20th century, George Gershwin’s beloved Porgy and Bess has captivated audiences across the globe for over 80 years. Next season, opera director Garnett Bruce brings Francesca Zambello’s acclaimed revival of Porgy and Bess to life on the stage of Bass Performance Hall, with spectacular new scenery created by British set designer Peter J. Davison. Based upon DuBose Heyward’s 1925 novel Porgy, the opera follows the impoverished residents of the neighborhood of Catfish Row on the shores of Charleston, South Carolina.
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This tragic love story, featuring iconic arias like “Summertime” and “I Got Plenty of Nothing,” centers on a disabled beggar named Porgy and his efforts to save the troubled Bess from a life of shame, addiction, and ruin. This audacious work, with its masterful blend of opera, jazz, blues, spirituals, ragtime, and folk will be presented in English, in its original version with restored orchestrations and recitatives.