Porgy and Bess poster collection

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)

Preferred citation:

Porgy and Bess poster collection, C0145, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
84 posters; poster mock-ups and artwork
Creator:
George Mason University. Special Collections Research Center.
Abstract:
Content warning: Racist imagery. This collection contains posters promoting the American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA)-sponsored production of the Gershwin opera "Porgy and Bess" as it toured various countries - mostly European - during the mid-1950s. It also contains poster mock-ups and artwork related to the production.
Language:
Multiple
Preferred citation:

Porgy and Bess poster collection, C0145, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

Content warning: Racist imagery. This collection contains posters promoting the ANTA-sponsored production of "Porgy and Bess" as it toured various countries, mostly European, during the mid-1950s. It also includes poster mock-ups, drawings, and art related to the production.

Biographical / historical:

"Porgy and Bess" is a 1934 American "folk opera" by George and Ira Gershwin, based on the play "Porgy" by Dorothy Heyward, which was itself an adaptation of the novel "Porgy and Bess" by DuBose Heyward. The opera tells the story of Porgy, a disabled Black man living in Catfish Row, a slum of Charleston, South Carolina. Porgy encounters Bess, a Black woman wishing to escape an abusive relationship with her lover, Crown, and her drug dealer, Sportin' Life. The two eventually begin living together and fall in love, with many consequences ensuing. "Porgy and Bess" is considered a classic of American opera and is performed to this day.

From its premiere, "Porgy and Bess" was controversial, mostly for the story's treatment of Black characters and perpetuating racial stereotypes. It was overall a commercial failure and met with little critical success. In 1942 a Broadway revival brought it back to the American public's attention, and the opera begin to receive success, which cemented it as a cultural touchstone. Eventually a large European tour was undertaken by Robert Breen and Blevins Davis of ANTA, which lasted from 1952 - 1956, to monumental success. The tour visited 89 cities and 29 countries. The opera's performance in the Soviet Union was considered the first cultural exchange post-World War II between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The production eventually toured the United States, also to great success.

Acquisition information:
Collection donated by Lorraine Brown in 1995.
Processing information:

Processed by Special Collections Research Center Staff. EAD markup completed in February 2009 by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty. Finding aid updated by Amanda Brent in April 2020.

Reprocessed by Amanda Brent from October 2021 - February 2022. Finding aid completed by Amanda Brent in February 2022. Inventory updated September 2023.

Arrangement:

The posters are arranged alphabetically by country and city where they were performed.

Physical location:
Map cases 10.1 - 10.2