# Porgy and Bess, Cinciinnati, 2012



## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

We just returned from seeing an outstanding production of _Porgy and Bess_ done by the Cincinnati Opera. The operas are performed in the city's music hall, which is also the location of their orchestral concerts. The acoustics were very good up in the gallery where we were seated.

The opera was performed on a day when the temperature was about 35°C (95°F) outside. The opera house was somewhat cooler, but there were a lot of people using their programs as fans, as well as a few who actually did bring old-style fans. The crowd was definitely not dressed to kill on a day like that.

The sets were spectacular and managed to look casually ramshackle. Catfish Row mutated into the fishing dock by rotating the sets so that their backs became visible. The island where the picnic took place was done by what I would call a frontdrop.

The Cincinnati Symphony played well - David Charles Abell was the conductor. The overture to _Porgy and Bess_ has some breakneck xylophone playing on top of a jazzy chorale for the brass, and they were in great form. The orchestra also was a full-sized group, with about 40 strings. Gershwin wrote some very lush orchestration in this piece, which a smaller Broadway-sized orchestra couldn't handle. The chorus was also in great form.

Measha Brueggergosman (thank God I have the program with me!) was radiant as Bess. She managed to be both tough as nails and very vulnerable in the role. Her excellent singing didn't surprise me, but her acting skills did. She'll be repeating this role in Berlin next year.

Jonathan Lemalu - a New Zealander - played Porgy, mostly on his knees. He used a wheeled cart when he needed to move quickly, but mostly moved around the stage by walking on his hands. He has the voice for the role, to be sure. "I got plenty of nuttin'" was done with flair, while his great duet "Bess, you is my woman now" absolutely floored me.

Crown (Gordon Hawkins) was downright evil - he got thoroughly booed by the younger audience members at the curtain, a reception that turned to cheers when he gracefully acknowledged what the boos meant. He was menacing at every moment onstage. He also managed to pull off a very good fight with Robbins (whom he kills), and a believable one with Porgy (who kills him).

Sportin' Life (Steven Cole) is just about as bad a dude as Crown, but he's charming and dresses well. He also managed to provide what little comic relief there was. Cole has that tenor voice that I associate with Mime and Monostatos - I don't know the technical word for it. It's a great voice for cajoling and teasing and complaining about how badly the world treats you.

Maria (Brandi Samuel) was also a dominant character in her small role. She's probably the most courageous person in Catfish Row, and she carried it off.

Naturally, "Summertime", sung by Clara (Jacqueline Echols) was magical. Up until now, I hadn't even mentioned it...

The hall was about 98% full and the ovations went on until the house lights were turned on...


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Great review, waldvogel. Sounds like a night to remember.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

I attended the performance on the 28th, and it was terrific. Glad you enjoyed your visit to our fair city, Waldvogel -- just wish it hadn't been so hot. (A friend once said that Cincinnati's summer heat and humidity could land a buffalo on its butt.)


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I have just seen it in N.Y. It was more a musical comedy, but very well done.






Martin


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

waldvogel said:


> We just returned from seeing an outstanding production of _Porgy and Bess_ done by the Cincinnati Opera. The operas are performed in the city's music hall, which is also the location of their orchestral concerts. The acoustics were very good up in the gallery where we were seated.
> 
> The opera was performed on a day when the temperature was about 35°C (95°F) outside. The opera house was somewhat cooler, but there were a lot of people using their programs as fans, as well as a few who actually did bring old-style fans. The crowd was definitely not dressed to kill on a day like that.
> 
> ...


Thank you SO MUCH! I really wasn't intending to see this opera until I read your description of it, and now ... I must go! Good JOB!!!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I do hope it was performed the way Gershwin intended as an opera with recitative and not the stupid version with all the cuts and dialogue sections that he reluctantly had to arrange for broadway.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I do hope it was performed the way Gershwin intended as an opera with recitative and not the stupid version with all the cuts and dialogue sections that he reluctantly had to arrange for broadway.


This brings up one curious question: do you always like the original version for a work?

I am thinking of Carmen here.... 

Sorry in advance for the off topic brain jump!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

powerbooks said:


> This brings up one curious question: do you always like the original version for a work?
> 
> I am thinking of Carmen here....
> 
> Sorry in advance for the off topic brain jump!


It's just that I think the broadway musical version is ****. Gershwin wanted it to be an opera with recitative, not a musical with dialogue.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I do hope it was performed the way Gershwin intended as an opera with recitative and not the stupid version with all the cuts and dialogue sections that he reluctantly had to arrange for broadway.


If you mean the version in Cincinnati, yes, it was performed as opera, with recitatives.
If you mean the version on Broadway, the reviews I've read indicates that it wanders pretty far afield from what Gershwin intended.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I do hope it was performed the way Gershwin intended as an opera with recitative and not the stupid version with all the cuts and dialogue sections that he reluctantly had to arrange for broadway.


I am not sure what George Gershwin's intensions were... He was a musical comedy guy, very much... He composed many musicals... Why Porgy and Bess would be an exception?

Martin,hesitant


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I do hope it was performed the way Gershwin intended as an opera with recitative and not the stupid version with all the cuts and dialogue sections that he reluctantly had to arrange for broadway.


As MAuer stated, it was performed with recitatives.

Gershwin's original score, when previewed in Boston, ran for over four hours. This caused complaints from the audience, who were probably expecting a musical comedy both in content and in length. Over the last three years of his life, he came up with many different performance versions, including ones with spoken dialogue. The version that we saw lasted for about 3h15min, and included pieces that I'd never heard before.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

powerbooks said:


> This brings up one curious question: do you always like the original version for a work?
> 
> I am thinking of Carmen here....
> 
> Sorry in advance for the off topic brain jump!


Forza dialogues in Carmen!


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