USA: Stephen Sondheim, one of the giants of Broadway, has died

On Friday, Stephen Sondheim, the music composer and songwriter known as “Titan” and “Broadway icon,” died suddenly at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. He was 91 years old. According to the artist’s entourage, he was celebrating Thanksgiving the day before.

The Broadway World website asserted that “the legendary composer is widely recognized as the most innovative, influential, and significant composer and songwriter in modern Broadway history.”

sundem by m.in. autorem muzyki i tekstów do takich musicali jak “Saturday Night” (1954), “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” (1962), “Anyone Can Whistle” (1964), “Follies” (1972), “A Little Night Music (1973), “The Frogs” (1974), “Into The Woods” (1987), “Assassins” (1991) Oraz “Road Show” (2008).

Sondheim also wrote the lyrics for “West Side Story” (1957) with music by Leonard Bernstein, and “Gypsy” (1959) by Jules Stein, “Do I Hear the Waltz?” (1965) Richard Rodger and “Moving On” with the music of Billy Joel (2001).

In 2010, James Labin developed and directed the musical “Sondheim On Sondheim,” a musical adaptation of Sondheim’s music and lyrics.

For the film, Sondheim, inter alia, wrote music for “Stavisky” (1974) and was also one of the composers of “Reds” (1981). He was also a composer of musicals for plays, including “Invitation to a March” (1961) and “Twigs” (1971).

The New York Times reported that Sondheim’s music and lyrics raised the artistic standards of American music to an even higher level. As he added on Thursday, the composer celebrated Thanksgiving with his friends.

“The World of Broadway” reported that Sondheim’s music can be heard in cinemas in the remake of “West Side Story” by director Steven Spielberg. The movie will be released in theaters on December 10.

For his work, Sondheim has received an Oscar, eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer), eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, a Laurence Olivier Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by Barack Obama.

In 2010, it was named after the Broadway theater formerly known as the Henry Miller Theatre.

Andrei Dobroolsky