Gresham College:
Unwrapping Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

This festive lecture explores the unusual roots of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and its role in establishing the concept of the commercial Christmas song. It explains how the song’s release during the summer months hints at how its potential as an enduring seasonal classic was not anticipated, and then examine how the music and lyrics helped it to resonate in a time of war. The lecture also considers Berlin’s patriotism and his active role in the Second World War.

This lecture will be given by Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, Gresham Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music.

His scholarship focuses on the American musical on stage and screen, and he has published eight books including Loverly: The Life and Times of ‘My Fair Lady’ (OUP, 2012), The Letters of Cole Porter (Yale, 2019) and The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical (2022).

Professor Broomfield-McHugh will be joined by actress Beverley Klein in live performances of songs by Irving Berlin.

*Each year, Gresham College provides over one hundred free, academic lectures, across the Arts & Sciences, given by international experts and leading academics. Find out more.

Age Recommendation:

16+

Price:

Free

Access Information

Due to the age and Grade II listing of the building, there is no lift access to rooms above the ground floor.

All the ground-floor rooms are fully accessible by wheelchair. Main Hall (street access, step-free), Brockway Room (street access, step-free), Bertrand Russell Room (street access, shallow ramp), Hive Cafe (street access, step-free). There is also an accessible toilet on the ground floor opposite the Brockway Room.