American Director For "Porgy and Bess”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 1

American Director For "Porgy and Bess”

The New Zealand Opera Company, with the cooperation of the New York City Opera Company, has engaged Ella Gerber, a celebrated American director, for its national tour of “Porgy and Bess” next year. The New York company has postponed the opening of rehearsals for its season of “Porgy and Bess” to enable Miss Gerber to accept the. New Zealand assignment. She has been associated with every major production of the opera in America, Russia and Europe. Miss Gerber will begin rehearsals in Wellington on February 1, and will work her cast for one week in Christchurch before “Porgy and Bess” opens here as a major attraction of the Pan-Pacific Arts Festival. Chorus ; rehearsals will begin in Wellington three weeks before Miss Gerber arrives. The Maori cast for the opera has been completed. Additions to the chorus have been completed and those selected have been advised by letter. Howard Morrison has had to turn down the role of Sportin' Life, and this part is still open. The parts of Bess, Crown and Serena will be filled by ' American Negroes, and the .

names of those chosen will be announced shortly, together with the names of the Maoris playing as secondary principals. The leading role of Porgy will be sung by the Maori bass Inia te Wiata. When he announced these details yesterday, Mr J. Collins, chairman of the arts festival committee, said “Porgy and Bess” would play in Dunedin, Palmerston North, Wellington, Hastings, Napier, New Plymouth, Hamilton and Auckland after Christchurch. The season would be between March 1 and June 12.