Soloists Rodney Earl Clarke and Francesca Chiejina sing the title roles, in this arrangement of the folk opera that features all its best-loved songs, including ‘Summertime’, ‘Oh I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’, ‘Bess, You Is My Woman Now’ and ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’. But first, hear the energetic overture to the hit musical Girl Crazy, which launched the careers of Ginger Rogers and Ethel Merman, showcasing recognisable snippets including ‘Embraceable You’ and ‘I Got Rhythm’. A selection of Copland’s spirited Old American Songs is the perfect pairing to Gershwin.

London Concert Choir and Canticum perform the pivotal role of the chorus in Porgy and Bess, under the baton of Mark Forkgen and accompanied by Southbank Sinfonia, internationally recognised as a leading orchestral academy for young graduate professional musicians from across the world.