Yesterday evening, I went to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino to see the production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. I knew absolutely nothing about this musical before buying my ticket (a mere €5 for a student ticket), but purchased it on impulse, as it goes along with my goal of doing/seeing/experiencing all that I can while abroad.
Honestly, it took me a good twenty minutes of listening to the production to discern in what language the individuals were singing (it was English). I heard a woman behind me say that the production is a Southern spiritual. Right. That really explained things. If you're curious what the musical was about, I cannot explain that to you (though I bet Wikipedia could help you!). I could tell you, however, that the music was beautiful and captivating. Typically, it's difficult for any one thing to hold my attention, but that didn't prove to be a problem that evening.
Dr. D'Amato (my GST professor) told our class that later in the semester, we'll have the opportunity to go to an opera. He also told us that Porgy and Bess would be a play. Porgy and Bess consisted of an orchestra performing, with a large choir, and four individuals singing opera-style. No acting, movement, or interaction between the individuals whatsoever. I'm curious what the actual opera will be like!
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