Existing comment:
George and Ira Gershwin. Porgy and Bess. Page from stage manager's score, 1935.
Porgy and Bess
With a score by George Gershwin (1898–1937), a libretto by DuBose Heyward (1885–1940) and lyrics by Heyward and Ira Gershwin (1896–1983), Porgy and Bess was one of the first American operas to receive international attention. The original production, presented by the Theatre Guild in 1935, is often erroneously described as a failure. Although it did not recoup its initial investment, it was largely an artistic success, running for 124 performances, a record unequaled by any other opera before or since. The original production is extraordinarily well documented; the heavily annotated stage manager's score records not only stage action but scenic cues and musical cuts as well. |