Presented by Michael Lasser, host of the nationally syndicated public radio show Fascinatin' Rhythm, with singers Alan Jones and Cindy Miller
Alongside renowned names such as George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter (1891–1964) ranked as one of the most successful composers of Broadway musicals for more than three decades. Born to a wealthy Midwestern family, Porter began to write songs while he was still in prep school. His first Broadway show, See America First (1916), was a flop. Soon thereafter, Porter moved to Paris, a city that—like New York—he would celebrate over and over in song. The musical Fifty Million Frenchmen, Porter's first big hit, debuted in 1929, marking the beginning of his prolific Broadway career.
Porter wrote comic songs that underscored his ingenuity and irreverence, and love songs that throbbed with a heady mix of eroticism and romance. His sophisticated, suggestive lyrics, clever rhymes, and complex musical forms stood in marked contrast to the sentimentality of most American popular music in the first half of the 20th century.
At tonight's Artful Thursday, Michael Lasser talks about what makes Porter's style so distinctive and why the forgotten songs are often as good as Porter's most famous.
This event is open to the public, and admission is free. A reception follows.
Register for great giveaways from Houston Public Radio and the MFAH.
Artful Thursdays receive funding from the Rockwell Fund. Promotional support provided
by KUHF 88.7 FM & Classical 91.7 FM, Houston Public Radio. Refreshments provided by
the Buffalo Speedway Starbucks (Buffalo Speedway @ Westpark), Carla Everett, manager;
and the Rice Village Starbucks, Jenna Ortiz, manager.
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