This course covers the 200-year evolution of American music theater, including the minstrel era, the vaudeville era, the age of ragtime, the revue, and the book musical. Because recorded examples of music from recent Broadway musicals are readily available in retail stores, these are used less frequently here than the older, rarer recordings, without which most listeners would have little knowledge of the sound of the early musicals. The shows chosen...

The aim of these lectures is to make viewers feel welcome and comfortable in the company of paintings. By focusing on 65 masterpieces of Western painting, Professor William Kloss offers a vivid, visceral encounter with genius, shining light on the unique technical, stylistic, and expressive achievements of each painting. From the 14th century to the 20th, the images are examined for their qualities of uniqueness, impact, and emotional and intellectual...

Explore the fascinating and surprising connections between famous music and historic events.