All-American Music: Behind the Scenes with Porgy and Bess

1,847 views · Published 3 March 2010 · 1:32:53 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: Smithsonian · 2010 · Entertainment

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The Washington National Opera (WNO) and the museum discuss the upcoming production of Porgy and Bess at the Kennedy Center, including its complex artistic and historical legacy. The program includes a panel discussion, multimedia presentation, and vocal performances by cast members. Participants include Dwight Blocker Bowers, curator of American Entertainment History; Fath Davis Ruffins, curator of African American History and Culture; John Mauceri, conductor; Rita Tikador, WNO assistant artistic director; Morenike Fadayoni, WNO actress (Bess); Eric Owens, WNO actor (Porgy); and Jermaine Smith, WNO actor (Sporting Life).
Presented February 25, 2010.

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