[(
Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun / March 23, 2012)
Morgan State University is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Murphy
Fine Arts Center with a production of Gershwin's opera "Porgy
and Bess." Morgan students Walter Kennedy, left, and Dimery
Mowery, right, rehease with principal singer Rodney Wing, center.]
Dr.
Eric Conway of Morgan State University writes:
“Hello
everyone,
Please
see attached feature story covering Morgan's production of Porgy and
Bess. The principal music journalist, Tim Smith, wrote an in-depth
article about our production which will hopefully get the word out to
the general public. If you are receiving this email, please share
with as many acquaintances as you can, to support this ambitious
effort by Morgan's Fine and Performing Arts Department. This
Thursday, March 29, 2012 will be the first show at 9:00 AM. The
opera is given at this unusual time to allow Baltimore city and
county students to experience this popular opera. As tickets range
from $65 to $25 for all other performances, every seat will only be
$15 for this special Thursday performance. This is an attractive
option for many. I hope to see you at the Carl Murphy Fine Arts
Center support our production. I have once again included a flyer
for quick reference.
5:13 PM EDT, March
23, 2012
“It's a kind of a
musical homecoming. 'Porgy and Bess,' the first and, many would say,
greatest American opera, returns to Baltimore after a long absence
with a large-scale production this week at Morgan State University,
featuring several well-established singers who have come back to
their alma mater for the occasion.
“In a way, the
character of Bess is coming home, too. The creator of that role,
Baltimore-born soprano Anne Brown, studied at what was then Morgan
College before moving to New York and sharing the spotlight at the
1935 premiere of 'Porgy and Bess.' 'This opera belongs right here on
the stage at Morgan State,' says alumna Kishna Davis, who will sing
the role of the sensual, easily-led-astray Bess. 'I get tears just
thinking about it.'”
“The Morgan
venture, ambitious for any university, caps a 10th-anniversary
celebration of the Murphy Fine Arts Center on campus. Performances
will feature the school's famed choir, a substantial set purchased
from the Opera Company of Philadelphia and 50 musicians of the
Mid-Atlantic Symphony conducted by Julien Benichou.”
“Bass-baritone
Kevin Short, a 1984 Morgan grad, will sing the role of the crippled
beggar Porgy, who falls hard for Bess. Short recently sang the hefty
title role in Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman' at the Bern Theatre in
Switzerland. 'Porgy is harder,' he says. The singer credits
Gershwin's work with setting him on his career path. 'This was my
introduction to opera in 1983, when the Baltimore Opera Company did
it for the first time, with Donnie Ray Albert as Porgy,' Short says.
'Wow. My whole life changed. I told my teacher this is what I want to
do. I remember going around on my knees like Porgy for days after.'
“Davis found
herself similarly drawn to Bess. 'She's literally five personalities
in one,' the soprano says. 'And she's dealing with so many things —
the drugs, the pain, the anguish. It feels like my life sometimes,'
Davis adds with a laugh.”
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