an , ▁the ▁music ▁director ▁and ▁conduct or ▁of ▁the ▁Sc and als ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁( with ▁his ▁Orchestra ▁in ▁the ▁pit ), ▁which ▁G ers h win ▁was ▁again ▁h ired ▁for , ▁had ▁previously ▁worked ▁with ▁him ▁when ▁the ▁Paul ▁Wh item an ▁Orchestra ▁recorded ▁the ▁latter ' s ▁song ▁" S outh ▁Sea ▁Island " ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁ ▁G ers h win ' s ▁ly ric ist ▁Bud dy ▁De S yl va ▁originally ▁conce ived ▁a ▁plan ▁for ▁writing ▁a ▁" j azz ▁opera " ▁set ▁in ▁Har lem ▁and ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Italian ▁language ▁ver ismo ▁opera ▁P aglia c ci ▁with ▁G ers h win ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁and ▁Wh item an , ▁who ▁had ▁built ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁reputation ▁on ▁such ▁experimental ▁fus ions ▁of ▁different ▁musical ▁and ▁dram atic ▁gen res , ▁persu aded ▁producer ▁George ▁White ▁to ▁include ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁Sc and als . ▁White ▁was ▁initially ▁enthus i astic ▁about ▁an ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁black ▁" opera " ▁because ▁" A ▁recent ▁Broadway ▁success ▁was ▁Sh uffle ▁Al ong , ▁a ▁show ▁with ▁an ▁all - black ▁cast — its ▁words ▁and ▁music ▁by ▁the ▁black ▁cre ative ▁team ▁of ▁No ble ▁S iss le ▁and ▁E ub ie ▁Bla ke ... ▁White ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁imag ined ▁that ▁a ▁black - orient ed ▁segment ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁edition ▁of ▁his