New 'Porgy and Bess' closes Beijing Music Festival

"On a dramatic level, I think what makes Porgy and Bess so unique is that Gershwin, together with his older brother, gave a vibrant, colorful human voice to this African American community in the early 1900s. They did a great job capturing the beautiful emotions and conflicts that these people must go through," said director Noa Naamat at a press conference on Oct 10 at the Divine Music Administration inside the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

"The opera is about how this beautiful community manages to rise above challenges, through prayer, through faith, and through coming together, managing to overcome all those things that have been thrown at them," she added.

Naamat argued that the themes of togetherness, never losing hope, and staying strong are universal and timeless. "For me, that's very important to bring to the audience in China because I think this is something on a human level that they can identify and connect with."