Ep. 174: Jazz and Opera Part II with Deidre Bird
Featuring jazz rhythms, blues, banjos, and African American spirituals, Gershwin\u2019s Porgy and Bess challenged pre-existing notions of what an American opera could be. Although Porgy and Bess has a complicated history, Gershwin\u2019s innovative music has had a lasting impact on opera. I\u2019m your host, Stuart Holt, and on today\u2019s episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild podcast, lecturer Deidre Bird will explore how jazz played a role in making Porgy and Bess such a successful work.\n\nMany thanks to composer and performer Matt Herskowitz for his gracious contribution of an entirely original and improvised cadenza for this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's podcast - www.mattherskowitzpiano.com