PAUL SAVIDENT: Press Release for Porgy & Bess Summer Tour 2003

GEORGE GERSHWIN's American masterpiece PORGY AND BESS will be touring the United Kingdom and Eire as part of their continuing World tour. Since 1992, this stunning and triumphant production has played to standing ovations and worldwide acclaim on five continents and in over 400 cities.

From Saturday 28 June through 29 July 2003 PORGY AND BESS will be presented in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Buxton, Cardiff, Cork, Croydon, Dublin, Eastbourne, Leicester, Limerick, Liverpool, Llandudno, Lowestoft, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Scarborough, Sheffield and Southend (see dates below).

PORGY AND BESS is based on the DuBose Heyward novel that tells the moving story of the cripple Porgy and the residents of Charleston's famed Catfish Row. It later became a successful play called PORGY written by Heyward and his wife, Dorothy, which served as the inspiration and basis for the collaboration between George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin and Heyward that eventually became the boundary breaking musical drama, PORGY AND BESS. Recognized as an American masterpiece, the story entwines pride, prejudice, pathos and passion through a jazz and blues influenced score. Originally billed as a “Folk Opera”, PORGY AND BESS introduced classic Gershwin songs like Summertime, I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ and It Ain’t Necessarily So, as well as magnificent and enthralling choruses that stunned music and drama critics alike at its premiere in 1935.

Presented by The Porgy Group, Inc. the cast is drawn from some of the USA’s leading opera companies. Directed by Will Roberson, the performance features a 14 piece orchestra under the musical direction of Maestro Zoltan Papp. Mr. Roberson had a long and successful relationship with this American opera classic, having directed productions for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and Atlanta Theatre Under the Stars. He was also Assistant Director for the Houston Grand Opera production, which toured Paris, London, and Italy. Scenic design is by James Fouchard, who has created sets for over 150 regional, stock and opera companies. Lighting design is by John McLain, who also designed the same show for the Houston Grand Opera. Costumes are by Candace Donnelly.

The producers of PORGY AND BESS have filled the cast with outstanding operatic singers from all over the United States. Alternating as 'Bess' are Elizabeth Graham and La Rose Saxon. Ms. Graham, a North Carolina native who is now Professor of Music at University of Florida, made her professional debut as both 'Clara' and 'Bess' with the Houston Grand Opera Company. She has many operatic roles to her credit and has appeared as soloist with various symphony orchestras. Ms. Saxon singing has taken her across the United States and around the world. She has performed the role of Bess many times, including performances with the Phoenix Symphony and the Frankfurt Opera. Ms. Saxon is currently on the faculty of the Music Academy of Mt. Vernon and the Harlem School of the Arts in New York.

Samuel Clark Stevenson and Cedric Cannon will alternate in the role of ‘Porgy’. Mr Stevenson is a native of Charlotte, NC where audiences have enjoyed his performances in The Wiz, Purlie, and God’s Trombone. He is currently a member of the Grace Bumbry African American Heritage Ensemble which has performed at the world famous Salzberg Festival, as well as in many other great houses throughout Austria and Germany, and in New York’s Carnegie Hall. Cedric Cannon a Native of Fort Worth, TX, made his Metropolitan Opera debut singing the role of Robbins in Porgy and Bess. He made his debut as Porgy with the Frankfurt Opera and has gone on to perform this and several other leading operatic roles in opera houses throughout the world.

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PORGY AND BESS is produced by The Porgy Group, Inc. of New York

Dates 2003	Venue	Booking Number

Sat 28 June	NORTHAMPTON, Derngate	01604 624811
Sun 29 June	LIVERPOOL, Philharmonic Hall	0151 709 3789
Mon 30 June	NOTTINGHAM, Royal Concert Hall	0115 989 5555
Tues 1 July	SCARBOROUGH, Futurist Theatre	01723 374500
Thurs 3 – Sat 6 July	CORK, Opera House	00 353 21 427 0022
Tues 8 July	LIMERICK, University Concert Hall	00 353 61 331549
Wed 9 – Sat 12 July	DUBLIN, The Helix	00 353 1 700 7000
Mon 14 & Tues 15 July	CROYDON, Fairfield Hall	020 8688 9291
Thurs 17 July	BOURNEMOUTH, Pavilion	01202 456456
Fri 18 July	LOWESTOFT, Marina Theatre	01502 533200
Sat 19 July	EASTBOURNE, Congress Theatre	01323 412000
Sun 20 July	SOUTHEND, Cliffs Pavilion	01702 351153
Mon 21 July	BUXTON, Opera House	08451 272190
Tues 22 July	SHEFFIELD, City Hall	0114 27 89789
Thurs 24 July	LEICESTER, De Montfort Hall	0116 233 3111
Fri 25 July	BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall	0121 780 3333
Sat 26 July	NORWICH, Theatre Royal	01603 630000
Sun 27 July	CARDIFF, St David’s Hall	02920 878 444
Mon 28 July	LLANDUDNO, North Wales Theatre	01492 872000
Tues 29 July	ABERDEEN, His Majesty’s Theatre	01224 641122

Details may also be obtained from Richard Arnold or Paul Savident at Paul Savident on 020 7734 8400, email richard@savident.com or paul@savident.com, or view www.savident.com.