The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, the new, more streamlined (and commercially viable) version of the venerable 1935 opera by the Gershwin brothers, essentially exists due to a desire by the remaining Gershwin heirs for something more lithe and salable, while retaining songs that have become standards. (FULL ARTICLE: Patrick Healy, The New York Times)
Art News
The Songs Remain the Same, But Gershwin Heirs Call the Shots
January 9, 2012