MUS 121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: John B. Larson, Agnes De Mille, Stephen Sondheim
Document Summary
Name given to the area of nyc where the publishers were housed. These songs were performed in vaudeville shows. Vaudeville shows were early 20th century variety shows containing many acts: popular music (jazz), dance, burlesque, comedy. Opera was another popular form of entertainment in this time period. Many american composers worked to develop the distinct american sound in classical music. While some composers wrote american opera, it never quite took off in popularity within the u. s. Written by jerome kern and oscar hammerstein. First musical to combine music and text to tell a compelling story. Bridged the gap between opera and popular music styles. Wrote porgy and bess premiered in 1935. 2012 revival starring audra mcdonald and norm lewis. With the popularity of porgy and bess and showboat, a new style is born. American musical theater grows from a combination of: jazz, opera, theatre. Named broadway after the street that runs through the theater district in new york city.