Eighty years ago -- almost to the day -- Porgy and Bess went on the road for a try-out prior to opening in New York in October, 1935. The initial reception was disappointing.
To salvage something from the score, George Gershwin collected some of the music into a symphonic suite, Catfish Row. But then, in a turn of events, Porgy developed an audience and it was the suite that sat on a shelf for 25 years.
Thursday's program opens with Catfish Row.
Then it's off to New France and the music of Colonial Quebec.
The cycle of Antonio Vivaldi's l'Estro Armonico concludes with the Concerto No. 12 in E, and we continue with music of Francois Couperin, Erik Satie, Maurice Durufle, Wiliam Bolcom, and more.
10:00 pm Thursday on 89.5 FM and streaming live at WFIT.org
