Multi-dimensional $q$-summations and multi-colored partitions

Abstract

Motivated by Alladi's recent multi-dimensional generalization of Sylvester's classical identity, we provide a simple combinatorial proof of an overpartition analogue, which contains extra parameters tracking the numbers of overlined parts of different colors. This new identity encompasses a handful of classical results as special cases, such as Cauchy's identity, and the product expressions of three classical theta functions studied by Gauss, Jacobi and Ramanujan.