Porgy and Bess - ENO Tickets

When George and Ira Gershwin wrote Porgy and Bess, based on the 1925 novel by DuBose Heyward, they probably didn't realise it was eventually going to be such a massive hit. Now it's back, an endlessly popular musical with a dark heart, for the first time staged by the English National Opera. This is a powerful and moving production with James Robinson at the helm, directing in his ENO debut.

It's no sweet fairytale, although Porgy and Bess is a love story. It tells the story of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar in the Charleston slums, and his attempts to rescue the lovely Bess from Crown, her violent lover, and her cocaine dealer Sportin' Life. 

Bess’s love for Porgy saves her from her dark past. But at the same time old habits are powerful things, hard to beat. When Crown turns up again, Porgy wonders whether Bess will be able to resist, and finally save herself. In a musical exploring the relationships in a close-knit community in 1920s South Carolina, it's as raw and painful as ever.

More than 80 years after its premiere, ENO is staging the show with a huge cast, including a magical forty voice chorus created specially for this production, plus a full orchestra. All this is due to make an already special show even more so, because Porgy and Bess is stacked with some of the most deliciously soulful, unforgettable show tunes on earth, including the international legend of a song, Summertime.

Jazz, ragtime and blues are your fare for the performance, blended with heart-warming and heart-breaking spirituals. Conductor John Wilson also makes his ENO debut, as does the the Artistic Director of Opera St Louis.

The cast is led by the awesome Eric Greene as Porgy and Nicole Cabell as Bess. Nmon Ford plays the role of crown and Latonia Moore, who played an extraordinary Aida for ENO, returns to portray Serena. Our very own home-grown British soprano Nadine Benjamin plays Clara, and the respected tenor singer Frederick Ballentine enjoys his UK debut as the dealer, Sportin' Life.

The musical is sung in English, at the London Coliseum, with subtitles projected above the stage for everyone to enjoy.

Who is this show for?
Porgy and Bess tells the tragic love story of the crippled beggar Porgy and the lovely Bess, a cocaine addict and whore who is desperate to change her life for the better. As such it isn't really a show for children, but perfect for teens upwards. Children under five won't be admitted.