George Bernard Shaw's Musical Universe

A lecture and performance by Christopher Innes, Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Section for Theatre and Performance Studies at the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies (University of Copenhagen) &  Brigitte Bogar, opera singer (York University, Toronto).

George Bernard Shaw was not only one of the most celebrated of all modern playwrights; he was also a very distinguished writer on music. He had furthermore some rather controversial views about English spelling and, in Pygmalion (turned musical in My Fair Lady), made fun of the prestige of 'correct pronunciation'. This event draws together the musical and phonetic strands in Shaw's plays and relates them to his writings on music and musical theatre, with plenty of vocal illustrations and exemplifications. In particular we shall hear, and hear about, a number of of little-known songs, six by Shaw and six by his mother: these songs have never previously been recorded—and very seldom heard.

All are welcome!