Porgy and Bess is a three act Opera taking place in the fabricated Catfish Row in Charleston, S.C. in the mid-1930s. This opera was originally based on the book “Porgy” and the play “Porgy” written by DuBose Heyward. It contains music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin.

Porgy and Bess was originally a novel written by DuBose Heyward in 1925 (of Charleston, S.C.) entitled “Porgy”. It was in 1926 that George Gershwin a well known composer or the 20s and 30s contacted Heyward and suggested that they collaborate on a folk opera based on the novel. However, progress halted on the collaboration until 1934 due to Gershwin’s schedule. Meanwhile, in 1927 Heyward and his wife Dorothy dramatized “Porgy” for the stage incorporating spirituals in the action. The Theatre Guild ran Porgy for an astonishing 367 performances. In the summer of 1934, after years of correspondence, George and Ira Gershwin joined Heyward in Charleston to begin work on the opera. Settling in Folly Beach for the summer, the men observed The Gullahs (an isolated group living on the adjacent James Island) who soon became the prototypes for the inhabitants of Catfish Row. Approximately a year later in July of 1935 they were finished, completing the opera in an astonishing 700 pages of music. Dubose Heyward wrote the libretto, George Gershwin wrote the music, and Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics.

Gershwin chose to have Porgy and Bess run at the Alvin Theatre in Chicago, IL, instead of producing it as a full operatic production. This was due to his wanting to assure more performances so, the word opera was carefully omitted from its publicity. After trying out in Boston as well, Porgy and Bess finally opened in New York on October 10, 1935, but only ran for 124 performances. Needless to say, it was years later before the shows backers received any of their money back. It was not until Gershwin’s death in 1937 that Porgy and Bess began to get the recognition he had wanted for it. In 1940, the Theatre Guild produced a somewhat revised version of the opera that yielded much more success. This opera was said to, “be the only opera founded on 1920s and 30s jazz which has survived past the post-World War II period, when composers began to use jazz satirically.

A brief synopsis:

Act I: Opens with men playing a craps game and Bess’ drunken boyfriend Crown gets into a fight with Robbins and kills him with a cotton hook. Bess gives Crown money to go and hide. He runs away and Sportin’ Life (drug dealer) offers to take her to NY with him. She refuses and with the cops on their way begs shelter of the crippled man in love with her- Porgy.

Act II: Month later in Catfish Row- Bess has been living with Porgy. Everyone is getting ready for a picnic on Kittiwah Island, when Sportin’ Life shows up at Porgy’s trying once again to get Bess to leave with him. She refuses him again and Porgy warns him to stay away from her for good. Bess doesn’t want to go to the picnic because Porgy cannot make the trip; she tells him that she only wants to stay with him. Eventually he and the cook Maria convince her to go and have fun; he will be there when they get back. On Kittiwah Island the picnic is in full swing and after a sermon on skepticism from Sportin Life and Serena (Robbins’ widow) denounces them all as sinners, they leave on the boat to back to Catfish Row. As Bess lingers behind everyone to get to the boat, Crown appears. He has been using the island as a hide out and he wants Bess to stay there with him. She claims that she wants to return to Porgy and live a long and happy life with him. He tells her that for now it is permissible but he will come back for her soon whether she likes it or not. Although she tries to leave, Crown’s charm and attraction reasserts itself and Bess agrees to stay on the island with him.

After being gone for two days Bess is back at Porgy’s, but she is very sick/delirious. Finally, Serena prays over her and says that she will be better by five o’clock that day. Eventually Bess comes too and confesses to Porgy about Crown saying he will come for her and she will go with him. She cries to Porgy telling him that she doesn’t want to go; she only wants to be with him. Porgy swears to protect her from Crown if he comes for her.

The next day as the men are out fishing a storm begins to rage as Crown returns to Catfish Row. People gather to pray for the men, but when a boat capsizes, Clara, the wife of the fisherman runs to save her husband and Crown goes to help too.

Act III

Crown is the only one to survive the tragedy and he returns to retrieve Bess, but Porgy kills him. The police come and take Porgy away as a suspect in the murder. This leaves Bess alone and vulnerable to Sportin’ Life. Sportin’ Life comes to see Bess and convinces her, through empty promises and drugs “happy dust” that Porgy will never be coming back. This is the final straw for Bess so she leaves with him for NY. A week later Porgy is released from jail for contempt of court because he refused to identify the body. He comes home bearing gifts he bought from winning craps games in jail; he is completely unaware that Bess is gone. After being welcomed back by his friends he realizes that she is gone and begins to beg of her whereabouts from Maria and Serena. Maria defends her saying she thought he was gone forever so she left, while Serena bashes her, calling her a drug addict. He finds out she left for NY with Sportin’ Life, so he sets off to find her. CURTAIN.

Some major themes:

Love- Porgy for Bess, her for both men, the women for their men and the lengths they will go to stay with them or die with them, etc.

Race-“the white people only come here to take us away.”

Class- lower class fisherman, living in a tenement

Faith- prayer for safety, the spirituality of many Catfish Row residents

Sources:

Porgy and Bess. Vocal Score. George Gershwin. New York: GErshwin Pub. Corp./ Chappell& Co., Inc. ; Winona, MN

Classical Net- http://www.classical.net/music/comp.1st/works/gershwin/porgy&bess.html