'The hit parade': How Broadway shaped the 85-year history of Louisville's Iroquois Amphitheater

Decades before popular artists like Brandi Carlile, Death Cab for Cutie, Houndmouth, Rufus Wainwright, America or Michael Franti played Iroquois Amphitheater, the best of Broadway rushed to perform on this Louisville stage.

On Sept. 2, the Iroquois Amphitheater will celebrate its 85th anniversary with "Music Under the Stars," a free concert filled with the music that helped make the amphitheater a Louisville landmark. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

"Iroquois was such an important venue that all sorts of Broadway stars from light opera and the Metropolitan Opera wanted to perform here," said Joseph Rubin, conductor of American Musical Productions. "It's hard to put into words how important the amphitheater was to developing the arts in Louisville."

On July 4th, 1938, the curtain opened on the premiere performance at the Iroquois Amphitheater, Victor Herbert’s "Naughty Marietta" and for the next 20 years, Iroquois brought the best of Broadway to Louisville.

Rubin, who is considered one of the foremost authorities on early American musical theatre, has restored many of the forgotten musical gems that were performed at Iroquois Amphitheater during its early years.

To celebrate the 85th anniversary, Rubin has assembled a special concert to highlight the iconic amphitheater's importance and history. He will conduct a 25-piece orchestra and chorus as they perform newly restored original orchestrations, just as audiences first heard them at the Iroquois Amphitheater eight decades before.

"It was like 'the hit parade.' I can't stress how popular this music was back in the 30s and 40s, but then much of it was lost," the conductor said. "During 'Music Under the Stars,' you'll hear the music as it was originally performed when it was on Broadway and then on tour at venues like Iroquois."

With music by beloved American composers such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Sigmund Romberg, and Jerome Kern, the program will include favorites from the most popular shows in the history of the Iroquois including "The Desert Song," "Show Boat," "The Student Prince," "Anything Goes," "The Merry Widow " and more.

In addition to bringing the original music back to the stage, Rubin has worked with the Filson Historical Society and will project photographs of the original productions behind the orchestra during the concert.

"In 1938, the productions were enormous and the casts were made up of 50-60 people. The sets were also huge," Rubin told the Courier Journal. "We'll be projecting photos from those shows behind the orchestra so the audience can experience what it looked like to go to a show in the early days of the amphitheater."

In addition, this very special “living history” concert will feature Louisville soprano Emily Albrink and baritone Chad Sloan along with soprano Erin Alcorn and tenor Tristan Tournaud.

"To be able to bring this music back to the stage where it was originally done 85 years ago is going to be magical," Rubin said.

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Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Free concert celebreates 85th anniversary of Iroquois Amphitheater