Video: Harry Connick Jr. Talks Reviving Cole Porter Show at the Met

On Friday, Harry Connick Jr. stopped by TODAY's Studio 1A to talk about how he’s bringing his acclaimed Broadway production Harry Connick Jr.: A Celebration of Cole Porter back to the stage. This time, the performer is bringing the show to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for a limited engagement.

"There is a little bit of a learning curve only because there's so much material," Connick Jr. said of reviving the show, which celebrates Cole Porter's significant contribution to the Great American Songbook. Connick directed the original show, which was based on his original concept, and arranged and orchestrated the show's music.

Connick also shared how he keeps the music true to Cole Porter, even when putting his own spin on the songs. “I think of it like great architecture, the building has the great bones and you can do whatever you want with the interior design [but] the structure stays the same so you can interpret these songs however you want- You’re always going to recognize them as a great Cole Porter song," the performer explained.

The Metropolitan Opera will host the five-day special presentation starring Harry Connick, Jr., on the Met's world-famous stage, January 29–February 2, 2025. This revival of Connick's acclaimed 2019 Broadway production, Harry Connick, Jr: A Celebration of Cole Porter is presented in association with Adrienne Arsht.

Cole Porter's body of work, composed primarily for Broadway and Hollywood, comprises one of the central chapters in the Great American Songbook. Porter (1891–1964) redefined what it meant to be the complete songwriter, which appealed to Connick, whose success in music, film, theater, and television has reshaped the notion of what it means to be the complete entertainer.

Harry Connick, Jr.'s career has exemplified excellence across multiple platforms in the entertainment world over the past three decades. His live and recorded musical performances, achievements in film and television, and appearances on Broadway as both an actor and a composer have received Grammy and Emmy Awards, as well as Tony Award nominations. The foundation of Connick's art is the music of his native New Orleans, where he began performing as a pianist and vocalist at the age of five.

He continues to establish himself as a bestselling musician and singer, composer, actor, and legendary live performer, with millions of recordings sold around the world. His most recent star turn in the movie Find Me Falling was a hit on Netflix, where it reached #1 globally in the summer 2024.