Fred Plotkin
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Musical Paris in the Early 20th Century:
Gershwin, Ravel, Stravinsky and Others
Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 10am
John and Jeanne Rowe Performance and Learning Center
Fred Plotkin, lecturer
Some beloved cities become musical capitals when many of the best and the brightest composers and performers flock there. Such was the case in Paris in the early 20th century, when it also attracted the finest visual artists and writers. These creators inspired French musicians (including Debussy, Poulenc, Ravel and Satie) and foreigners such as Gershwin, Prokofiev and Stravinsky. Join Fred Plotkin to discover cultural Paris when it sizzled.
Forever Young:
Celebrating the Incomparable Rossini on His Leap Year Birthday
Thursday, February 29, 2024, 10am
John and Jeanne Rowe Performance and Learning Center
Fred Plotkin, lecturer
In his prime, Gioachino Rossini (born February 29, 1792) was Europe’s top composer. He drew inspiration from Mozart and Beethoven and profoundly influenced Verdi, Wagner and all who followed. Equally adept at comedy and drama, Rossini had an extraordinary gift in writing for the human voice. Join opera expert Fred Plotkin as he celebrates his favorite composer.
Top image: Maria Barbara Krafft (Austrian, 1764-1925). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (detail), 1819. Oil on canvas, 33 x 26 1/8 in. Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna, Austria. Second image: Igor Stravinsky Third image: Constance Mayer (1774–1821). Portrait of Gioachino Rossini (detail), 1820. Oil on canvas. International Museum and Library of Music.