Opera Synopsis

George and Ira Gershwin

PORGY AND BESS

Music by George Gershwin Script by George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin From the book Porgy by DuBose Heyward First performance. September 30, 1935. Colonial Theater, Boston

Gershwin spent the summer of 1934 on Folly Island in South Carolina after he was invited to visit by Heyward. He was inspired to write Porgy and Bess while on this working vacation. His interest in synthesizing jazz with classical music was infused with the music he heard in South Carolina.

Initially a commercial failure, Porgy and Bess came to be considered one of the most important American operas of the twentieth century and an American cultural classic, even if critics could not quite figure out how to evaluate it or decide whether it was opera or simply an ambitious Broadway musical.

Synopsis

ACT I

Catfish Row, a tenement near Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1920s.

The inhabitants of Catfish Row are relaxing after a day’s work. Clara sings the lullaby "Summertime" to her baby to quiet him. Some of the men shoot craps under the disapproving eye of Serena. Clara and Jake’s baby is still restless, so Jake sings the song "A Woman Is A Sometimes Thing" to quiet his baby son. Porgy arrives and is about to join the craps game when Crown and Bess arrive. The bully Crown joins the game. Drunk and high on drugs, he loses, starts a fight and kills Robbins in a rage. Crown runs off to hide, telling Bess that he’ll be back for her. The community shuns Bess as they wait for the police. Sportin’ Life offers to take her to New York with him, but she refuses. Only Porgy is sympathetic. He offers her shelter and his protection, which she accepts. Robbins’ widow Serena leads the mourners at her hus- band’s funeral. A collection is being taken to pay for the burial. Porgy enters with Bess, and Bess offers Serena a contribution which at first she refuses thinking it must be Crown’s money. Serena finally accepts when she’s told it is Porgy’s money, not Crown’s. The police officers arrive and accuse Peter, the Honeyman, of Robbins’ murder. Peter tells them that Crown was responsible, but the police arrest him anyway. Bess leads everyone in an exultant spiritual. A month later, Jake and the other fishermen are mending their nets. Sportin’ Life enters, but before he has the chance to peddle any of his “happy dust,” Maria, the matriarch of Catfish Row, chases him away. “Lawyer” Frazier sells Bess a divorce, even though she and Crown were never married. Everyone is preparing to leave for a church pic- nic on Kittiwah Island. Porgy and Bess reflect on their newfound happiness in the duet Bess, "You Is My Woman Now". Porgy insists that Bess should go to the picnic without him. At first, she refuses, not wanting to leave him alone, but eventually, she agrees and joins the others as they set off. That evening on Kittiwah Island, Sportin’ Life describes his cynical view of religion in the song "It Ain’t Necessarily So." The steamboat whistle announces it’s time to leave, and everyone starts to pack up their belongings.

Bess hurries along until Crown, who has been hiding on the island since Robbins’ murder, calls out to her. He wants Bess to come with him, but she tells him she now has a new life with Porgy. Crown forces her to stay with him.

ACT II

Catfish Row, at dawn a week later.

Fishermen leave for a day’s work at sea despite a storm warning. Bess is heard talking deliriously from Porgy’s room. She has been feverish since returning from Kittiwah Island. Serena leads the group in prayer for Bess. Her prayers are answered: Bess walks out of Porgy’s home, free of the fever. She explains to Porgy that she wants to stay with him but that when Crown returns, she’ll be forced to go back to him. Porgy tells her that she doesn’t have to go with Crown, and he and Bess reaffirm their love for each other. The wind begins to rise, and the hurricane bell sounds.

At dawn the following day, everyone has taken shelter in Serena’s room. They pray for deliverance from the hurricane. Suddenly, Crown enters looking for Bess. She refuses to go with him, insisting that she belongs only to Porgy. He mocks Porgy as being half a man, and ridicules the towns- people, answering their prayers for deliverance with the vulgar song "A Redheaded Woman." At the storm’s height, Clara sees Jake’s boat has overturned. She rushes out to save her husband. Bess calls for one of the men to go after her. Crown is the only one to respond. The next evening, the storm has passed. The women grieve for those who have been lost, including Jake, Clara and presumably Crown. Sportin’ Life appears, mocking their laments, and hints that Crown is still alive. Bess sings Clara’s own lullaby, Summertime, to Clara and Jakes’ baby. Under the cover of darkness, Crown steals in and approa- ches Porgy’s door, but Porgy is ready for him. He strikes the first blow and kills Crown.

Original image (1935)

The next afternoon, a detective and the coroner come to Catfish Row. They are investigating Crown’s murder. They go to Porgy’s room and tell him he has to identify Crown’s body. Porgy refuses to go and has to be dragged off. See- ing his moment, Sportin’ Life convinces Bess that Porgy will be locked up for certain, and he attempts to lure her away to a new life in the number "There’s A Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon." He forces some cocaine on her and leaves more outside her door. High and desperate about Porgy, she leaves with Sportin’ Life. A week later, Porgy returns from jail in a jubilant mood. He calls out for Bess, but there is no answer. Serena and Maria tell him that Bess has gone to New York with Sportin’ Life. Porgy decides to follow her - he can’t live without Bess. The inhabitants of Catfish Row join Porgy in the prayer "O Lord, I’m On My Way" as the curtain falls.

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