Troy Public Radio partnered with the Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery to celebrate the birthday of artist and novelist Zelda Fitzgerald on Sunday, July 25. Readings and discussions of Fitzgerald’s works were hosted by Don Noble, host of the “Alabama Aloud” podcast; Marie Martello, president of the Fitzgerald Museum; and Jennifer Horne, former poet laureate of Alabama.
“Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was a strong creative force in her own right, a talented painter, writer, and dancer,” said Horne. “Scott and Zelda’s names and legacies are forever linked, but an event like this honors her as an important figure in Alabama’s cultural history and gives people the chance to feel a direct connection, via her words read aloud and the objects shared in the museum.”
“For a number of years readers have increasingly come to realize that Scott was not the only writer in the family,” said Noble. “Zelda’s fictions have a flair all their own and there is nothing more fitting and satisfying than celebrating that fiction in her home. And Zelda’s very singular style, syntax and metaphor reveal themselves best when read aloud.”
Martello said her hope is that visitors of the museum learn more about who Scott and Zelda were as individuals and a couple.
“I believe Scott was a great artist before he met Zelda, but both of them matured as artists,” she said. “Some of his best stories were written later in life, like ‘Babylon Revisited.’ So, I want people to see that side of them, as well as the glittery jazz age couple.”
Kyle Gassiott, Troy Public Radio’s Director, Host and Reporter, said the collaboration between the Fitzgerald Museum and “Alabama Aloud” was a perfect fit.
“Our mission is to spotlight and honor works written by Alabama authors, and Zelda is one of the state’s most original literary voices,” said Gassiott. “Her influence, both through her writing and her association with F. Scott Fitzgerald, cannot be overstated.”
Born in Montgomery, Zelda (Sayre) Fitzgerald grew up in the Cottage Hill neighborhood until she married Scott in 1920. The couple would both work on their novels “Tender is the Night” and “Save Me the Waltz” while living in the home that is now the the museum. For Gassiott, the museum offers a rare chance to connect those stories to the very places where they unfolded.
“One particular highlight for me was hearing her letters to Scott read aloud in the very rooms where they were written.” said Gassiott. “Bringing moments like that to an audience, and eventually to our listeners, is exactly what we strive to do through the podcast.
“We’re very grateful to have community partners like the Fitzgerald Museum, as well as the many venues that have hosted Alabama Aloud events,” Gassiott continued. “There’s something special about sharing a literary experience with a room full of listeners, and being able to introduce both the podcast and the museum to new audiences made the day particularly meaningful.”
An “Alabama Aloud” episode featuring the event will be released in the near future. You can listen to TPR’s Carolyn Hutcheson’s episode of InFocus previewing the event here. WSFA’s coverage of the event can be viewed here.
