Delishious – A Gershwin News Update
June 26, 2023
More news from the world of George and Ira Gershwin.
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The cast of the rollicking West End revival of the award-winning Gershwin musical Crazy for You made a number of recent appearances in advance of the opening night of the new production at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre on July 3. “Slap That Bass” was performed as part of West End Live 2023, while “I Got Rhythm” was done on an episode of The One Show on BBC One. Get your tickets now!
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We are happy to announce the recent launch of the official George and Ira Gershwin Instagram account! Produced by our friends at Warner Chappell Music, the account will feature the latest news from the musical and lyrical world of the Gershwin brothers, as well as rare images from the Gershwin archives. See you there!
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Joni Mitchell, who was honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song this spring, will release a recording of her miraculous return to live performance at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival. The concert, including her rendition of “Summertime” from the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess, will be issued by Rhino Records on July 28.
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The arranger, orchestrator, and composer Don Sebesky, who shared a 2015 Tony Award for the orchestrations of the hit Broadway musical An American in Paris with Christopher Austin and Bill Elliott, passed away at the age of 85 on April 29. Mr. Sebesky also did the orchestrations for Trevor Nunn’s production of Porgy and Bess that ran at the Savoy Theatre in London from 2006 to 2007.
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Michael Feinstein’s February 26, 1990 conversation with the eminent writer and broadcaster Studs Terkel is now available online.
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Follow along with Dutch tenor Thomas Oliemans as he takes a walk around New York City with stops at Gershwin residences.
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On June 11, Sean Hayes took home the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his performance as Oscar Levant in Doug Wright’s Good Night, Oscar. During the show, which runs at the Belasco Theatre through August 27, Hayes performs George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
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The residents of Charleston, South Carolina did not see a production of Porgy and Bess until 1970. Read about the history of the opera in the city here.
— Michael Owen