-- I -- “Arthur Farwell is probably the most neglected composer in our history. . . . At the … [Read more...] about America’s Forbidden Composer
Solomon Volkov on Stalin and Shostakovich
Of Joseph Stalin the culture-czar, Solomon Volkov comments: “People underestimate the level of control that Stalin maintained. I once tried to count the number of people in the arts that Stalin controlled personally – listened to their music and read their books. It was close to one thousand. This was Stalin’s habit. So Shostakovich knew very well he was under the … [Read more...] about Solomon Volkov on Stalin and Shostakovich
Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Three
Kevin Deas, the exceptional bass-baritone who is the anonymous “Porgy” of my previous blog, has written to me at greater length about singing the part – and the importance of the view “from below.” He says: “Being on my knees for my first staged Porgy was revelatory. Not only was it the first time that I’d sung the complete role, it was that perspective that was, in … [Read more...] about Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Three
Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Two
Of the interesting emails I received in response to my American Scholar review of Porgy and Bess, the most informative was from a singer with considerable experience doing Porgy on stage. He wrote: “As challenging as it was for me to sing most of Porgy on a cart (the rest of the time I was on my knees), there is no substitute for singing and viewing the world from that … [Read more...] about Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Two
Why “Porgy and Bess” and the Met Need One Another
To read my review of the Met’s new "Porgy and Bess," just posted online by "The American Scholar," click here. It begins: That the Metropolitan Opera has opened its season with a fresh production of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess is cause for celebration. The Met came late to black America when in 1955 it engaged Marian Anderson to sing Verdi—she was already 57 years … [Read more...] about Why “Porgy and Bess” and the Met Need One Another