The Hot Box

The Hot Box


The Hot Box #049 - Porgy & Bess

September 02, 2019

The Hot Box 49 is an advanced peak behind the curtain of an upcoming concert from the RTE Concert Orchestra featuring a feast of George Gershwin music cantering on the first ever live performance of the Concert Version of the Armstrong / Ella orchestration “Porgy & Bess”.


The recreation of Russel Garcia’s entire score has been achieved by Derry born, award-winning jazz trumpeter and arranger Ryan Quigley. The world premiere of this concert will be performed by RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the 11th of September in The National Concert Hall in Dublin. The Ella & Louis parts will be delivered by Nicola Emmanuelle (‘the real deal’ – Time Out) and five-time British Jazz Awards winner Enrico Tomasso – who as a child actually knew Louis Armstrong.


The night is packed with more Gershwin greats: Rhapsody in Blue, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Adam JohnsonThe Man I LoveEmbraceable YouFascinating Rhythmand Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of I Got Rhythm.