While writing a book about political Paris cabaret songs of the late 1880s, Jay Lutz examined satirical reviews elsewhere in Europe, and among the most interesting were those of the much admired Swedish stage artist Karl Gerhard (1891-1964). In his illustrated talk Dr. Lutz will analyze performative and political aspects of "Den ökända hästen från Troja" (The Notorious Horse from Troy), a satirical Karl Gerhard song from an anti-Nazi review that led to police intervention. He will also consider the use of classical Greek motifs as a foil for covertly expressed resistance to the fascists (a technique often employed in France). The Swedish author and actor wrote about 4,000 couplets and songs, often with a French influence, producing some hundred reviews and 240 recordings. Jay Lutz is a professor of French at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, where he teaches French and Swedish language and literature classes. His special interest is French and Swedish literature, and he has published studies on Paul Verlaine and Oscar Levertin.

Sponsored by the Swedish Program with the assistance of the American-Scandinavian Foundation and the Institute for the Study of Europe at Columbia University.