"Bess, You Is My Woman Now" Love Duet from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess

July 11 marks the passing of the great George Gershwin (Sept 26 1898 - July 11 1937) seventy-five years ago.  The quintessential American composer, Gershwin's creative genius spans both popular and classical fields. His compositions capture the American spirit wonderfully well, and his abundant melodic inspiration and refreshingly individual harmonic idiom are always a pleasure. Among his best known classical compositions are Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and the opera Porgy and Bess, this last work a staple in many opera houses around the world, and rightfully so.  To remember Gershwin, here is the sublime duet, "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" from a film based on the 1986-7 Glyndebourne Festival Trevor Nunn production conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. Willard White (Porgy - and now a famous Wotan!) and Cynthia Haymon (Bess) are both fabulous here.

Joseph K. So