Lenny Writes “So-called Poems” to a Teenage Sweetheart
Though not all of them are masterpieces, Bernstein's "so-called poems" for a teenage sweetheart are clear flashes of brilliance from a young man with a lifelong love of language.
Tag: 1957
Carol Lawrence, West Side Story’s First “Maria,” Remembers Leonard Bernstein
Broadway legend and television icon Carol Lawrence describes the "charming" Leonard Bernstein and what it was like auditioning for the role of "Maria" in West Side Story. Watch the video on Classical.org, courtesy of The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc.
Letters from Bernstein: On West Side Story
Jamie Bernstein discusses the months leading up to WSS's opening, and outlines the correspondence between her parents during that time.
Bernstein’s Dilemma: To Conduct or to Compose? (Audio Exclusive)
When Bernstein was offered the New York Philharmonic in 1957, he saw a chance to find the “locus” that he’d been missing. But he knew the cost to his composing would be high.
“… I didn’t exist without music”
Quote | Leonard Bernstein on the importance of playing piano when he was growing up.
Introduction to ‘West Side Story’
When West Side Story premiered in 1957, no one could have known that this seminal musical would resonate with audiences for more than half a century.
“Holy sh*t! ‘West Side Story’ is about Puerto Ricans?” Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Enduring Legacy of ‘West Side Story’
"Leonard Bernstein's music is immortal. It still sounds different from every other Broadway score you'll hear."
Then and Now: Looking Back to 1957
1957 was a critical year for Leonard Bernstein as a composer, conductor, and humanitarian. How does it compare to the world we live in today? Here are 10 facts to help put the events of that dynamic year in context.
Hal Prince on Producing ‘West Side Story’ (Audio Exclusive)
Today, Prince's 60-plus years of working on Broadway and 21 Tony Awards are evidence enough of his gifts, but in 1957 he was still relatively untested.
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