We all know Leonard Bernstein’s celebrated musical, West Side Story, but what about Candide, the seldom-staged opera eclipsed by its exuberant overture? Opera Tampa opens its new season on Jan.31 with a rare production of Candide, which begins with Bernstein’s single-most performed work, a rollicking hodgepodge of themes and break-neck tempos that hint of what... Continue Reading →
His uncommon voice is at home on the Broadway stage and in the opera house. He was the most respected composer and lyricist in musical theater. And the most challenging. Stephen Sondheim was a rarity in the theatrical world, a composer who was also a lyricist. He approached both tasks with intellectual honesty and a... Continue Reading →
SHE COULD HAVE SUNG ALL NIGHT She was the voice of Deborah, Natalie and Audrey. Her lilting soprano delivering “Somewhere,” “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” and “Hello Young Lovers” in the film versions of West Side Story, My Fair Lady and The King and I, respectively. For her work on The King and I, Nixon was... Continue Reading →