Bess in Porgy and Bess

E491216
female character fictional character opera character

Bess in Porgy and Bess is the troubled, passionate heroine of George Gershwin’s American folk opera, whose tumultuous relationships and struggle for redemption drive much of the drama.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (3)

Surface form Occurrences
Bess 0
Porgy and Bess (role of Bess) 1
the character Bess from the novel “Porgy” by DuBose Heyward 1

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf female character ⓘ
fictional character ⓘ
opera character ⓘ
appearsIn Porgy and Bess NERFINISHED ⓘ
associatedWith Sportin’ Life NERFINISHED ⓘ
associatedWork Summertime (as lullaby context in the opera) NERFINISHED ⓘ
basedOnWork novel Porgy by DuBose Heyward ⓘ
centralTo plot of Porgy and Bess ⓘ
characterTrait impulsive ⓘ
passionate ⓘ
troubled ⓘ
vulnerable ⓘ
createdBy DuBose Heyward NERFINISHED ⓘ
George Gershwin NERFINISHED ⓘ
Ira Gershwin NERFINISHED ⓘ
ethnicity African American NERFINISHED ⓘ
fictionalUniverse Catfish Row NERFINISHED ⓘ
firstAppearance opera Porgy and Bess (1935) NERFINISHED ⓘ
gender female ⓘ
genre American folk opera ⓘ
hasRomanticRelationshipWith Crown ⓘ
Porgy NERFINISHED ⓘ
hasTheme addiction ⓘ
love ⓘ
redemption ⓘ
violence in relationships ⓘ
language English ⓘ
librettoBy DuBose Heyward NERFINISHED ⓘ
lyricsBy Ira Gershwin NERFINISHED ⓘ
medium opera ⓘ
musicBy George Gershwin NERFINISHED ⓘ
narrativeRole heroine ⓘ
tragic figure ⓘ
nationality American ⓘ
notableScene conflict between Porgy and Crown ⓘ
relationship with Porgy in Catfish Row ⓘ
occupation party girl ⓘ
partOf American musical theatre canon ⓘ
performedBy soprano ⓘ
residesIn Catfish Row NERFINISHED ⓘ
seeks redemption ⓘ
setIn Charleston, South Carolina NERFINISHED ⓘ
strugglesWith addiction ⓘ
moral conflict ⓘ
timePeriod early 20th century ⓘ
vocalRange soprano ⓘ

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Bess → basedOn → Bess in Porgy and Bess ⓘ
this entity surface form: the character Bess from the novel “Porgy” by DuBose Heyward
Angel Blue → notableRole → Bess in Porgy and Bess ⓘ
Leontyne Price → notableWork → Bess in Porgy and Bess ⓘ
this entity surface form: Porgy and Bess (role of Bess)