Concerted Efforts artist Rhiannon Giddens has been recruited to star in the Greensboro, North Carolina Opera’s production of the opera “Porgy and Bess”— in the year 2020 . The opera will be performed at The Steven Tanger Center for Performing Arts, a 3,000-seat venue which is currently under construction. The Tanger Center’s team has selected Giddens as its first booking.
Giddens, an Oberlin Conservatory of Music graduate and Grammy Award-winner, will star as Bess while the role of Porgy has yet to be revealed.
A Greensboro native, Giddens pursued graduate work at UNC-Greensboro for vocal performance. While there, she was under the direction of David Holley, who will serve as the stage director for “Porgy and Bess”. Giddens starred in the University’s productions of “Little Women” and “Susannah” years prior.
The production is anticipated to be a large benefit for the fruitful arts community in Greensboro. A traditionally African-American led performance, Giddens is enamored with the project: “It’s kind of a rite of passage for so many African-American performers, doing ‘Porgy and Bess,’” Giddens said. “I’m excited to join that brotherhood and sisterhood of black performers who have done it.”
“Porgy and Bess” will be performed on Nov. 13 and Nov. 15, 2020. Tickets go on sale Nov. 16.
Check out the full article on News & Record here.
For more information on Rhiannon Giddens and upcoming tour dates, visit her artist page.