Event: The Harry Ransom Center hosts free public programs.
When: Various dates throughout February
Where: Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin, 21st and Guadalupe streets, and Jessen Auditorium in Homer Rainey Hall at The University of Texas at Austin, 21st and Whitis streets.
Background: All events are free and open to the public. Please note that the Ransom Center’s Charles Nelson Prothro Theater has limited seating. Line forms upon arrival of the first person, and doors open 30 minutes in advance.
Poetry on the Plaza: “A Poet Walks into a Movie”
Wednesday, Feb. 3, noon at the Harry Ransom Center
The Ransom Center presents the Poetry on the Plaza event “A Poet Walks into a Movie.” There have been movies based on poets and poems, and poets have confronted movies in their poems. This Poetry on the Plaza event explores the often uneasy but always engaging relation between poets and the silver screen. Readers include Alison Macor, Ransom Center fellow and author of “Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids: Thirty Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas,” and Anne Rapp, screenwriter and former script supervisor. Refreshments will be served at this free event, which complements the Ransom Center’s exhibition, “Making Movies,” opening Feb. 9.
A Conversation with Charles R. Larson
Thursday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center
Charles R. Larson of American University speaks about his collection of African, African American and Native American literature, acquired by the Harry Ransom Center in 2009. Bernth Lindfors, University of Texas at Austin emeritus professor of English, hosts the conversation. Throughout his career, Larson befriended many of the writers featured in his collection, corresponded with them and anthologized many of their works. His collection includes signed and inscribed books, rare publications, unique manuscripts and letters. This program will be webcast live at www.hrc.utexas.edu/webcast.
Curator’s Tour of “Making Movies”
Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center
Steve Wilson, the Ransom Center’s associate curator of film, leads a free gallery tour of “Making Movies.” Featuring items from the Ransom Center’s extensive film collections, “Making Movies” reveals the collaborative nature of the filmmaking process and focuses on how the artists involved–from writers to directors, actors to cinematographers–transform the written word into moving image.
Music from the Collections: “Words and Music: Classical Music in Cinema”
Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in Jessen Auditorium in Homer Rainey Hall.
In a “Music from the Collections” event, Michael Schneider explores the connection between music and movies, featuring live performances of music from “West Side Story” (1961), “The Pianist” (2002), “Song of Love” (1947) and other films in “Words and Music: Classical Music in Cinema.” Performers include pianist Nancy Garrett, professor in the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin; Robert Freeman, former dean and the Susan Menefee Ragan Regents Professor in Fine Arts at the Butler School of Music; soprano Icy Simpson, graduate student in opera performance at the Butler School of Music; and pianist Michael Schneider, doctoral student in the Butler School of Music and director of the San Angelo Piano Festival. This program will be webcast live at www.hrc.utexas.edu/webcast.
Bill Hobby
Monday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center
The Harry Ransom Center presents a lecture by former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby. Hobby discusses the changing voting demographics of Texas using returns from the 2000, 2004 and 2008 presidential elections. Using slides with voting demographics broken down by county, he shows how the Republican vote in each county is affected by census variables. This program will be webcast live at www.hrc.utexas.edu/webcast.
Harry Ransom Lecture: Sarah Greenough
Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center
The University Co-op presents a Harry Ransom Lectures event with Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs at the National Gallery of Art. She presents the lecture “Transforming Destiny into Awareness: Robert Frank’s ‘The Americans,’ 1959.” The Harry Ransom Lectures honor former University of Texas Chancellor Harry Huntt Ransom and highlight the Ransom Center’s vital role in the university’s intellectual and cultural life. The program brings internationally renowned writers, artists and scholars to Austin for public events and conversations with students. The lectures are made possible by the support of the University Co-op.
A Tribute to J. D. Salinger
Friday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. at the Harry Ransom Center
Local writers and members of The University of Texas at Austin community commemorate the life of J. D. Salinger with readings from his work and correspondence. The event will mark the opening of a small display of Salinger manuscripts, letters and inscribed books from the Ransom Center’s collections. Event co-sponsored by “American Short Fiction.”
High-resolution press images relating to all events are available.
