Music: Porgy Orgy (Contd.)

Catfish Row had its finest hour last week. After nearly three years of triumphantly touring the U.S., Canada and Europe, with stops in dozens of cities including London, Paris, Berlin, Zagreb, Tel Aviv, George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess reached Milan, the world's opera capital. At La Scala, it ran for eight performances (solidly sold out four days before opening night) and was a smash hit. Milan cheered the all-Negro cast and the mayor toasted it in champagne.

Despite program notes, the Italian audience was puzzled by the plot. The gay-sordid doings of Catfish Row reminded them of Naples and Palermo slums, but...

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