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Building a Library: Edward Seckerson listens to and compares recordings of Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess.
Porgy and Bess is an opera by George Gershwin. First performed in 1935 it featured a cast of classically trained African-American singers. After a slow start, the work has gradually gained popularity, and it is now one of the more frequently performed operas.
The story tells of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar and his attempts to rescue Bess from Crown, her violent lover, and Sportin’ Life, her drug dealer. Some of the numbers in the opera, such as “Summertime”, have become popular, frequently recorded songs. In recent times the trend has been toward productions more faithful to Gershwin’s original intentions.
Available versions:-
Donnie Ray Albert, Clamma Dale, Wilma Shakesnider, Carol Brice, Andrew Smith, Alexander B. Smalls, Betty Lane, Larry Marshall, Houston Grand Opera, John DeMain
Eric Owens, Laquita Mitchell, Chauncey Packer, Lester Lynch, Angel Blue, Karen Slack, Alteouise deVaughn, Eric Greene, Michael Bragg, San Francisco Opera, John DeMain (DVD/Blu-ray)
Lawrence Winters, Camilla Williams, Inez Matthews, Avon Long, Warren Coleman, J. Rosamond Johnson Chorus, Lehman Engel
Bibiana Nwobilo, Michael Forest, Rodney Clarke, Angela Renée Simpson, Previn Moore, Roberta Alexander, Jonathan Lemalu, Isabelle Kabatu, Gregg Baker, David McShane, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Willard White, Leona Mitchell, McHenry Boatwright, Florence Quivar, Barbara Hendricks, Barbara Conrad, Arthur Thompson, François Clemmons, Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, Lorin Maazel
Paul Bracy, Justin Lee Miller, Talmage M. Watts, Nicole Cabell, Lester Lynch, Barron Coleman, Tamica Harris, Uzee Brown Jnr., Bart Lefan, Monique McDonald, Richard Daniel, Jeremiah Cooper, Tiffany Nicole Wharton, Leonard Rowe, Leonard Warren, Chauncey Packer, Marquita Lister, Robert Mack, Calvin Lee, Linda Thompson Williams, Alvy Powell, Linda Thompson Williams, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Symphony Chorus, John Mauceri
Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson, Damon Evans, Bruce Hubbard, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson, Damon Evans, Glyndebourne Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Rattle (DVD)
Leontyne Price, William Warfield, Cab Calloway, John McCurry, Eva Jessye Choir, Rias-Unterhaltungsorchester, Alexander Smallens
Building a Library: Edward Seckerson listens to and compares recordings of Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess.
Porgy and Bess is an opera by George Gershwin. First performed in 1935 it featured a cast of classically trained African-American singers. After a slow start, the work has gradually gained popularity, and it is now one of the more frequently performed operas.
The story tells of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar and his attempts to rescue Bess from Crown, her violent lover, and Sportin’ Life, her drug dealer. Some of the numbers in the opera, such as “Summertime”, have become popular, frequently recorded songs. In recent times the trend has been toward productions more faithful to Gershwin’s original intentions.
Available versions:-
Donnie Ray Albert, Clamma Dale, Wilma Shakesnider, Carol Brice, Andrew Smith, Alexander B. Smalls, Betty Lane, Larry Marshall, Houston Grand Opera, John DeMain
Eric Owens, Laquita Mitchell, Chauncey Packer, Lester Lynch, Angel Blue, Karen Slack, Alteouise deVaughn, Eric Greene, Michael Bragg, San Francisco Opera, John DeMain (DVD/Blu-ray)
Lawrence Winters, Camilla Williams, Inez Matthews, Avon Long, Warren Coleman, J. Rosamond Johnson Chorus, Lehman Engel
Bibiana Nwobilo, Michael Forest, Rodney Clarke, Angela Renée Simpson, Previn Moore, Roberta Alexander, Jonathan Lemalu, Isabelle Kabatu, Gregg Baker, David McShane, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Willard White, Leona Mitchell, McHenry Boatwright, Florence Quivar, Barbara Hendricks, Barbara Conrad, Arthur Thompson, François Clemmons, Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, Lorin Maazel
Paul Bracy, Justin Lee Miller, Talmage M. Watts, Nicole Cabell, Lester Lynch, Barron Coleman, Tamica Harris, Uzee Brown Jnr., Bart Lefan, Monique McDonald, Richard Daniel, Jeremiah Cooper, Tiffany Nicole Wharton, Leonard Rowe, Leonard Warren, Chauncey Packer, Marquita Lister, Robert Mack, Calvin Lee, Linda Thompson Williams, Alvy Powell, Linda Thompson Williams, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Symphony Chorus, John Mauceri
Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson, Damon Evans, Bruce Hubbard, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson, Damon Evans, Glyndebourne Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Rattle (DVD)
Leontyne Price, William Warfield, Cab Calloway, John McCurry, Eva Jessye Choir, Rias-Unterhaltungsorchester, Alexander Smallens
He does say it "does have its dry spells" and suggest that those (like me) who are not completists might make do with a highlights disc... for which he recommends (of course) Rattle...
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