The Life and Times of Porgy and Bess: The Story of an American Classic

A masterful book about Gershwin's masterpiece. The author begins with the first notion of Dubose Heyward's Porgy and follows the creation of this landmark work to its eventual Broadway premiere at the Alvin Theatre. Hollis Alpert clearly loves his subject matter and this is full of trivia and astute observation. The latter part of the book follows the various productions around the globe and its growing recognition in the opera world. Littered with photographs, this is a stunning book. It is a pity that this book was published before the 1980s Glynebourne and televised revival.