Porgy and Bess at Barcelona Opera House Gran Teatre Del Liceu

Porgy & Bess takes us to the marginal districts of Charleston (South Carolina), where notes of jazz and blues give voice to the characters' souls.

The gifted George Gershwin, who also composed Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris, shows us the bitter reality of American society, where poverty and a lack of scruples push the characters towards their own destruction. Porgy, however, stands head and shoulders above them all, as he is the only person who truly fights for what he believes. He will do everything possible to help Bess save herself and get away from bad company.

The music from this opera forms the soundtrack to Afro-American neighbourhoods, feelings of marginalisation and second chances. Notes of jazz, gospel and blues take us inside the souls of the characters, showing us their desperation, anger and also love. A clear example of this is the aria Summertime, which has been covered by many great artists, including Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

July sees the arrival at the Liceu of the production by the Cape Town Opera Company “which has generated waves of admiration,” on its first tour of the United Kingdom (Financial Times). This is the second most-performed opera in the history of the United States.