The Gershwins' musical masterpiece Porgy and Bess is one of America's greatest works. This production was adapted for the screen by Trevor Nunn and Yves Baigneres. It was directed by Trevor Nunn and is based on the highly successful staging of the original Glyndebourne Festival Opera production in 1986-87, which was remounted at Covent Garden in the autumn of 1992 with most of the original cast. Immediately after that performance the production was moved to the giant stage at Shepperton Studios, with much expanded sets and lighting. It was then recorded using EMI's original award-winning soundtrack.
First performed in 1935 and based on the play Porgy by DuBose and Dorothy K. Heyward, Porgy and Bess has achieved worldwide renown through such memorable songs as "Summertime," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way," and many more, set to Gershwin's moving symphonic score. 184 minutes.
Porgy: Willard White
Bess: Cynthia Haymon
Crown: Gregg Baker
Serena: Cynthia Clarey
Maria: Mariette Simpson
Sporting Life: Damon Evans
Clara: Paula Ingram (sung by Harolyn Blackwell)
Jake: Gordon Hawkins (sung by Bruce Hubbard)
Mingo: Barrington Coleman
Robbins: D. Alonzo Washington (sung by Johnny Worthy)
- Actors: Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker (II), Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson
- Director: Trevor Nunn
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
- Format: Classical, Color, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC
- Language (Original Language): English
- Language (Subtitled): French
- Language (Subtitled): German
- Language (Subtitled): Italian
- Region Code: 0
- Release Date: 2001-07-03
- Running Time: 184 minutes
- Theatrical Release Date: 1993-10-06
