Symphonic Dances From West Side Story Program Notes Band

Original cast recording Music Lyrics Book Basis by Productions 1957 1958 1959 US Tour 1960 Broadway return 1961 1980 Broadway revival 1997 UK Tour and West End revival 2008 West End revival and UK Tour 2009 Broadway revival and US Tour 2013 UK Tour West Side Story is a with a by, music by, by and conception and choreography. It was inspired by 's play. The story is set in the neighborhood in New York City in the mid 1950s, an ethnic, neighborhood (in the early 1960s, much of the neighborhood was cleared in an project for the, which changed the neighborhood's character). The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street of different backgrounds. The members of the Sharks,, are taunted by the Jets, a gang.

The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang's leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. Bernstein's score for the musical includes ', ', ', ', ', 'Jet Song', ', ', ', 'Gee, Officer Krupke', and '.

In the 1964 and 1980. Titled Symphonic Dances from West Side Story: Prologue (Allegro. Buddy Rich and his big band. Music Program Notes for Over. West Side Story by Max Derrickson. Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Bernstein - Symphonic Dances from West Side. ASO Program Notes Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990) Leonard Bernstein was well trained, having.

The original 1957 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by and produced by Robert E. Griffith and, marked Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour. The production was nominated for six including Best Musical in 1957, but the award for Best Musical went to 's. Robbins won the Tony Award for his choreography and won for his scenic designs. The show had an even longer-running London production, a number of revivals and international productions. A, directed by and Robbins, starred,,, and.

The film was nominated for eleven and won ten, including for, for, and. L-R: Elizabeth Taylor, Carmen Guitterez,, and from the original Broadway cast sing ' (1957) Genesis [ ] In 1947, Jerome Robbins approached Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents about collaborating on a contemporary musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He proposed that the plot focus on the conflict between an Irish Catholic family and a Jewish family living on the of, during the Easter– season. The girl has survived the and emigrated from Israel; the conflict was to be centered around of the Catholic 'Jets' towards the Jewish 'Emeralds' (a name that made its way into the script as a reference). Eager to write his first musical, Laurents immediately agreed.

Bernstein wanted to present the material in operatic form, but Robbins and Laurents resisted the suggestion. They described the project as 'lyric theater', and Laurents wrote a first draft he called East Side Story. Pulp His And Hers Rar here. Only after he completed it did the group realize it was little more than a musicalization of themes that had already been covered in plays like.

When he opted to drop out, the three men went their separate ways, and the piece was shelved for almost five years. In 1955, theatrical producer was working on a stage adaptation of the novel Serenade, about an opera singer who comes to the realization he is homosexual, and he invited Laurents to write the book. Laurents accepted and suggested Bernstein and Robbins join the creative team.

Robbins felt if the three were going to join forces, they should return to East Side Story, and Bernstein agreed. Laurents, however, was committed to Gabel, who introduced him to the young composer/lyricist. Sondheim auditioned by playing the score for, his musical that was scheduled to open in the fall. Laurents liked the lyrics but was not impressed with the music.

Sondheim did not care for Laurents' opinion. Serenade ultimately was shelved. Laurents was soon hired to write the screenplay for a of the 1934 film for.

While in Hollywood, he contacted Bernstein, who was in town conducting at the. The two met at, and the conversation turned to, a fairly recent social phenomenon that had received major coverage on the front pages of the morning newspapers due to a turf war. Bernstein suggested they rework East Side Story and set it in Los Angeles, but Laurents felt he was more familiar with and than he was with and. The two contacted Robbins, who was enthusiastic about a musical with a Latin beat. He arrived in Hollywood to choreograph the dance sequences for, and he and Laurents began developing the musical while working on their respective projects, keeping in touch with Bernstein, who had returned to New York.