Porgy and Bess (1935)

Porgy and Bess is what Gershwin originally referred to as an ‘American folk opera’. It is centred on the lives of a group of African-Americans in 1920’s South Carolina. The opera is based on the novel and play Porgy written by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward. The plot combines some dark elements such as drug dealing and murder which contrasts with the central romantic theme. The opera features almost entirely a cast of black actors.

Musically, the work blends Gershwin’s New York jazz style, with southern black folk songs that he was aware of, such as blues, praying songs, work songs and spirituals. He also utilised melodies from Jewish liturgy, perhaps as a nod to his Russian-Jewish heritage. The score also makes extensive use of leitmotifs; with people, places and objects assigned their own. (For example, the ‘happy dust’, catfish row and sportin’ life each have their own leitmotif). Certain entire pieces within the work are also repeated several times.

From its debut, the work attracted controversy; it was said to portray negative racial stereotypes of aspects of African-American life in respect to poverty, violence and drug-taking. In the decades after its premiere, performances were cancelled due to refusals of the cast to perform citing racism, and pressure from the African- American community as a whole. The opera however did provide seldom-available opportunities for black actors. An all-African-American cast of classically trained actors was revolutionary for the time.

Porgy and Bess also attracted controversy from the opera world, with highbrow music critics frowning upon the use of popular music within the structure of an opera. Dogged with this musical opinion, and the racist perception, the work languished for several decades, until 1976 when the Houston Grand Opera produced a new staging. This production was pivotal in transforming public opinions, mostly due to an American opera company, rather than a Broadway production company producing the work, and in its complete, uncut form.