Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 March 1943 — Page 6

y Porgy and Bess’ | ENGLISH'S CAME to

e last night with the Cheryl Crawford

production of “Porgy and Bess,” the only American opera of any

consequence. The road company is splendid. The production, conducted by Alexander Smallens, moves along with the vitality and lusti‘ness that have given the denizens of Catfish row a peculiar immoreee

tality in American music.

This presentation has just about everything that “Porgy and t Bess” shouid have. Todd Duncan created the role of “Porgy” in the opera which the late George Gershwin made from the play by ‘DuBose Hayward. It was Etta Moten whom Mr. . Gershwin wanted to sing the role of Bess originally, but it was.not until this year that the contralto finally got the part. Miss Moten sings the role effectively, except in the lower registers where her voice last night seemed to fade. Harriet Jackson's singing of “Summertime” is an event. And there is Avon Long whose characterization of “Sportin’ Life” comes pretty close to being a masterpiece. He sings, “It Ain't Necessarily

So” and that performance alone

+ 1s worth the price of admission ‘plus fax. One of the remarkable voices

ANBERRY II

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thew FRI 1 AM. to 1:00 P.M.

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OPENING WEEK BUD WAPLES

At ‘the Piano and His

MEN OF MELODY - Also Featuring CHAREE MOYSE, VOCALIST

| Mitely Broadeast WIBC at 10: is pom, (Wednesday—11:15 p. m.) VER CHARG

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ENGLISH 35 roan’ a ‘Sac. 21% CHERYL L CRAWFORD GEORGE GF SERSHWIN Du BOSE HEYWARD'S

wil TODD DUNCAN «ad ETTA MOTEN DER SMALLENS Conductor EVES,, $2.75-8%¢ Mats, $2.20, $1.65, $1.10, 85¢, Incl. Tax

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Mon, Tue, Wed; March 8-39-10 POPULAR PRICE MAT.“WED.

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-==SEATS NOW~— Eves., 85¢c, $1.10, $1.65, $2.20, $2.15. Wed, Mat., 550, $1.10, $1.65 (Incl, Tax)

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in the Eva Jessye choir belongs to Ruby Elzy who sings the “My Man's Gone Now” and “Time and Time Again.” Mr. Duncan’s aria, “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin,” is tops, of course. It always has been. Miss Moten and Mr. Duncan sing the duet, “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” with fine, delicate tenderness. S The ensemble of the choir, the singing of the principals and the orchestra produce a blend of rare beauty. # ® 8 “PORGY AND BESS” is a marvelously constructed opera. If grand opera had any of its vigor, its earthy, contemporary folk appeal, the man in the street would be whistling grand opera, too. It used to-be that designating “Porgy and Bess” as opera was as close to musical blasphemy as one could, get in arty circles. The references now classify the opus as “folk opera,” which is tolerant of them in view of the fact that nobody carries a spear or wears a tin helmet sprouting wings. Of course, some of the folks of Catfish row carry knives, but that doesn’t count. The curtain rises on the tenements of Charleston, S. C., where the folks are shooting craps. The orchestra plays “The Crap Game fugue. » Porgy is a crippled beggar who rides around in a wagon drawn by a goat. He joins the craps game and cleans up. An argument develops betwen Crown, the burly villian, and one of the Catfish row inhabitants named Robbins. © Crown kills Robbins and flees, leaving his woman, Bess, who goes to live'with Porgy. Porgy and Bess are in love. Although she and Crown were never married, a lawyer persuades her to get a divorce from Crown for the sum of $1.50. That makes everything legal as far as Porgy and Bess are concerned and both, delighted with the arrangement, sing “Bess, You Is My Woman Now.” Sportin’ Life, the personification of evil and temptation, dances on the scene to tempt Bess with dope. She resists at first, determined to stick by Porgy, and then goes to a picnic where she is seized by Crown who has been hiding out from the law since the craps game murder. Yielding to temptation of the gay life, Bess goes off with Crown, returning after a few days, ill and delirious, to “be nursed shack to health by Porgy.

AS THE MEN of the community go out to catch fish, a hurricane comes up. The assem-. bled community in a dramatic scene prays, but some of the fishermen are lost. Crown returns to seize Bess, but this time Porgy kills him. The police arrest Porgy for the crime and while he is held in jail, Bess is tempted once again by Sportin’ Life who offers Her a trip to New York. She goes. Porgy returns, cleared for lack of evidence, to find Bess gone. He sings “Where's My Bess?” and the community tries to comfort him. Determined to find Bess, Porgy climbs aboard his goatdrawn wagon and sets off in the general direction of New York, singing “I'm On My Way.” In this humble setting, “Porgy and Bess” projects the great emotions, too, without benefit of Arthurian legends and nordic mythology. It is the greatest and the last work of George Gershwin dnd the current revival is the Indianapolis season's top ate traction for my money.

LENE

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MITCHELL FHI

DINDOSE

7 Clock

OPENING TODAY INDIANA “They Got Me Covered,” with

From Alcatraz,” with Bonita Granville and James Seale. at 11:38, 2:50, 5:53 and di SHOWS LYRIC mY “Immortal Srgeant, with Henry oO’ and

Mitchell, at 11, 1:50, 4:40,

For Error,” with Joan

and Milton 2s, at 1238, 3:30, 6:20 and 9:15,

= CIRCLE n stage, Vaughn Monroe and orFrieling at 1:05, 4, 6:55 and 9: a.

“Lucky Jordan,” Alan La and Marie McDonald, at 11: 0 2:15, 5:10, 7:50 and 10:30.

LOEW'S at andom Harvest,” with

Garson and Ronald C Colman, 1 1:40, G28, 1:05 and 9:30 I

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