Vocal Range For Bess
Vocal Range For Bess
#1Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/9/15 at 1:18am
Hey, does anybody know the official vocal range for Bess in Porgy And Bess? I'm wanting to put together a vocal range profile for Audra and it would be helpful to know what notes to look for in this one!
#2Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/9/15 at 1:28am
As you know, Broadway keys are always set to show the singers voice in their best sound. You could easily look up the original opera keys but they may not be the keys used by Audra .. or Norm since he is a baritone and Porgy is written for an actual bass. Also, a new orchestration reduction was done so the estate could finally make some money from people licensing the show who did not want to pay for the actual number of musicians Gershwin wrote for. It was more Porgy and Bess Lite.
#3Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/9/15 at 10:02am
I actually wasn't aware that they were always transposed to accommodate the singer, although I knew that they weren't uncommon. I guess I'll just have to listen to the videos and plunk notes out on a piano and figure out what Audra's notes are, lol.
#4Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/9/15 at 7:19pm
I know for a fact that "What You Want With Bess" was lowered in the revival.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#5Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/10/15 at 3:41pm
It was lowered so that she wouldn't have to kill her voice. Audra can sing the songs in the original Keys, but not 8 times a week. She would have blown her voice out.
#6Vocal Range For Bess
Posted: 10/10/15 at 9:46pm
I can't speak for Miss MacDonald, but it's worth noting that when the Houston Grand Opera production was playing 8-show weeks on Broadway back in the 1970s, they had three--count 'em, three--ladies alternating in the role of Bess. (IIRC, obviously.)
