![]() The chorus are also amazing, their singing having lots of variety of colours and a wide dynamic range and their acting continues to grow. While of course allowing for the music to breathe and the emotion to properly come out. The orchestra play with such ravishing tone throughout and also with energetic character that keeps moving forward. Musically, this 'Porgy and Bess' is even better. The video direction is fine, it has an intimacy without being claustrophobic. Some of the relationships and the character direction of Bess and Crown are actually quite insightful and things are brought out in the stage direction never seen before by me. The staging is full of energy and is always tasteful, every gesture and action having a meaning and there is no gratuitous shock value. ![]() ![]() The few scene changes are handled fluidly and somehow do not affect the flow at all, helped by that they are not too ambitious. Visually, it is a handsomely designed production with a vivid atmosphere. There is so little to criticise, apart from some occasional dragging in the first act. ![]() The good news is that was a great performance and as far as the sadly too short lived fourteenth season goes it's second behind 'Akhnaten', though it's likely more accessible for others and more to other's tastes than that production. Have always loved his warm voice and his stage presence that has always commanded complete attention (something that is apparent too in his hostings for this series, and he has done a fair number of them now). Also because this production of 'Porgy and Bess' is from the Metropolitan Opera, which have boasted so many memorable performances and singers over the years, and have for a while gotten a lot of pleasure watching and listening to Eric Owens, a seasoned interpretor of Porgy. There are two particularly great performances, the 2013 San Francisco production and the classic Trevor Nunn one from 1993. It has a story that is both hugely engaging and poignant and music that ranges from catchy ("Summertime", the most famous part and a major popular standard as even those that don't listen to opera know it, and "It Ain't Necessarily So") to emotionally heart-wrenching ("Oh Lord I'm on My Way", "Bess You Is My Woman Now"). 'Porgy and Bess' is one of Gershwin's most well-known works for a reason.
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