OXFORD, Miss. – Featuring powerful musical numbers such as “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” the moving story of “Porgy and Bess” comes to the University of Mississippi March 9 for one show at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
Part of a 75th anniversary tour of the original production, this is the only performance scheduled anywhere in Mississippi, said Kate Meacham, assistant director of marketing for the Ford Center.
“‘Porgy and Bess’ is a classic that should appeal to a broad range of people,” Meacham said. “It’s a show that has been enduring in its appeal.”
The show is set for 8 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $37 for various seating and $10 to $15 for UM students and faculty enrolled in the Cultural Passport Program. Tickets are available by calling 662-915-7411, by visiting the UM Box Office in the Student Union from noon to 4 p.m. weekdays or the Ford Center Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or by going to http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/
“Porgy and Bess” tells the tale of Porgy, a disabled black man who lives on “Catfish Row” in the slums of Charleston, S.C. After witnessing a murder during a dice game, Porgy takes in the troubled but beautiful Bess, girlfriend of the murderer. The story follows his efforts to rescue Bess from her violent and possessive lover.
The production was first billed as a “folk opera” when it premiered in 1935. With music by George Gershwin, the opera features a blues- and jazz-influenced score. The opera is based on Dubose Heyward’s 1925 novel, “Porgy.”
Meacham said she is confident that the show will entertain.
“If you are looking at the trailer, it feels more like a musical than an opera,” Meacham said. “This is Gershwin’s opera; it’s very accessible music. Everyone has heard the songs, and this is a great way to put them in context.”
For a video clip from “Porgy and Bess” or for more information on upcoming Ford Center events, go to http://www.olemiss.edu/