The twentieth century told through a figure capable of traversing different artistic languages, from jazz to musical theatre, from painting to cinema. This is the common thread of Becoming George Gershwin, the international conference that will take place at LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura on June 16 and 17, 2026, in collaboration with IULM University of Milan and Franklin College of Lugano.

The initiative aims to go beyond the traditional musicological reinterpretation of the American composer, focusing instead on his ability to unite different disciplines and expressive forms. George Gershwin thus emerges as a central figure of American cultural modernity: a creator of Broadway musicals, a symphonic composer, and a pianist, but also a passionate enthusiast of the visual arts, photography, design, and dance.

According to the project's creators, Luca Cerchiari, William A. Everett, and Andrea Amarante, Gershwin's artistic trajectory continues to represent a model of cultural contamination. His work defies traditional classifications between classical music and popular music, jazz and symphonic repertoire, confirming an open and transversal vision of art.

The LAC as an interdisciplinary space

The choice of the LAC as the venue for the event is no coincidence. In recent years, the Lugano cultural center has consolidated an identity oriented towards dialogue between different disciplines, intertwining musical programming, visual arts, theater, dance, and educational programs.

In this context, Gershwin's figure seems to fit naturally. His artistic biography, in fact, continually challenges the idea of ​​a clear-cut separation between cultural languages.

Andrea Amarante, general director of the LAC, emphasizes that the conference is part of a project already developed in recent years through initiatives dedicated to jazz and international musical influences. Among these are the tribute to Nina Simone with Ledisi, the presence of the Metropole Orkest, and the concert by the Chineke! Orchestra.

The goal, explains Amarante, is to consider music as a meeting place between different traditions, identities, and cultures, a perspective that finds one of its most representative interpreters in Gershwin.

An artist beyond music

Talking about Gershwin means dealing with an artistic figure who is difficult to reduce to a single definition. Alongside famous works such as Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris o Porgy and Bess, the American composer in fact developed an intense interest in the figurative arts and the world of entertainment.

He frequented New York art galleries, painted, sketched, and drew, designed furniture in the Art Deco style, and cultivated a strong interest in dance. He also had connections with American cinema and musical theater, sectors that helped define his international fame.

The Lugano conference aims to explore this multidisciplinary dimension, bringing together scholars from diverse research fields: musicology, jazz history, musical theatre, cinema, literature, and copyright.

Study sessions between Europe and America

The scientific program will be divided into four sessions hosted in Room 4 of the LAC.

Tuesday, June 16th, will begin with a discussion of Gershwin's creative methods. Speakers will include Paolo Cattaneo on the European harmonic foundations of Gershwin's songs, John Graziano on the motivic construction of his compositions, and Ryan Raul Bañagale on the relationship between Orientalism and American musical identity.

Also on the first day there will be space for the relationship between Gershwin and cinema, with contributions dedicated to The King of Jazz of 1930 and the film production of Porgy and Bess.

On Wednesday, June 17, the focus will shift to the European reception of Gershwin's opera. William A. Everett will analyze the London premiere of Lady, Be Good! of 1926, while Martin Guerpin will focus on the French productions of Gershwin's musicals. Luca Cerchiari will instead delve into the Italian tour of Porgy and Bess in the years 1954-55.

A final session will be dedicated to performance practice, with interventions on the relationship between Rhapsody in Blue and jazz and the link between Gershwin and contemporary vocalism.

Concerts between songs and new transcriptions

In addition to the conferences, the program also includes two musical events open to the public.

On Tuesday, June 16, in the LAC Hall, the IULM University Choir of Milan, directed by Edoardo Gambel, will perform a selection of songs by George and Ira Gershwin, with Diego Prato on piano.

The next day will be the turn of Gershwin & Strings, a concert performed by the Catfish Row Ensemble, featuring singer Greta Panettieri and the string quartet led by Duccio Beluffi from the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala. The project will feature original transcriptions by Giampaolo Testoni.

A project destined to continue

The initiative will extend beyond the two days in Lugano. The conference proceedings will be published by LIM – Libreria Musicale Italiana, while a CD produced by LAC and IULM University will be distributed by Alfa Music of Rome.

The event also confirms the increasingly international role LAC is assuming within the Italian and Swiss cultural landscape, with a growing focus on collaboration between academic research, artistic production, and cultural dissemination.

Nearly a century after his international success, Gershwin continues to be a central figure not only in the history of music, but also for his ability to connect different arts and languages. And it is precisely this creative freedom, even before his most famous compositions, that the Lugano conference aims to bring back to the center of contemporary cultural debate.

Information 

The conference Becoming Gershwin It is part of the Master's in Publishing and Music Production at IULM and is included in the LAC edu program, supported by UBS as the main partner.

Participation in the meetings is free, with mandatory registration by writing to lac.edu@laclugano.ch.

Admission to the concerts is free, subject to availability. Seats will be limited for the concert on Wednesday, June 17th in Hall 4.

More information:
www.laclugano.ch