Shakespeare's Musical Legacy
We often talk about Shakespeare's lasting influence on literature, but sometimes we neglect his influence on other forms of art: visual art, film, and music. In this post, we'll explore some of the musical works that the Bard has inspired over the centuries. Shakespeare and Musical Theater Let's start with some of the most well-known musical adaptations of Shakespeare. Musical theater provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the works of a playwright, of course, because of its self-conscious theatricality and showmanship. Cole Porter, Kiss Me, Kate Cole Porter wrote both the music and the lyrics to Kiss Me, Kate . The characters of Kiss Me, Kate are actors preparing for and executing a production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew . The play itself was inspired by a true story: the producer, Arnold Saint-Subber, had seen a married couple of actors whose offstage conflicts bled onto the stage as they were performing The Taming of the Shrew . Porter was called ...
