The Boundary Between Opera and Musical, A Study on George Gershwin’s 《Porgy and Bess》: Focusing on the <Summertime>

This study aimed to analyze Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess , a work that embodies characteristics of opera and musical theater, focusing on its musical elements to illustrate its dual genre nature.To achieve this, the study examined the most widely recognized piece from the work, <Summertime>, analyzing its lyrics, form, melody and rhythm, and scales and harmony.Based on the results, the genre-specific musical characteristics of opera and musical theater were classified as follows.First, Gershwin utilized the melody of <Summertime> as a leitmotif technique.The song, which appears four times throughout the work, is associated with the "death" theme among the characters, creating structural unity within the opera.This technique reflects the operatic genre's emphasis on integrating drama and music.However, when the melody reappears, it does so with minimal variation, resembling the "reprise" method commonly found in musicals.Second, the study found that the melody form, rhythm, vocal range, form, and other musical elements of <Summertime> were influenced by popular and African American music.This influence aligns with the musical genre's characteristic use of simple, straightforward, and accessible musical language that appeals to popular tastes.