Why is leonard bernstein so famous

In , he debuted in Europe, conducting in Prague and London. That same year he met the Chilean actress Felicia Montealgre Cohn, whom he married in Two major post-war compositions were the ballet Facsimile , conceived with Jerome Robbins and premiered by Ballet Theatre, and Symphony No. In both works, Bernstein explored personal challenges in a world emerging from trauma.

Symphony No. Like Facsimile , the symphony probed isolation and loneliness in the modern world. During this same period, Bernstein composed Four Anniversaries and Five Anniversaries —51 , written for piano solo. Each segment was dedicated to a different friend — a technique related to the musical portraits of Virgil Thomson.

From until , when Bernstein accepted an appointment as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, he focused on composing music for the stage, together with one film score. Among this remarkable series of theatrical scores, West Side Story stands as a towering achievement, ranking as one of the most famous works of all time, regardless of genre.

The show confronted urban gang violence and discrimination against new immigrants. At the same time, it delivered compelling entertainment. The edgy finger snaps at the opening of the show are among the core sound bites of the 20th century.

The Overture to Candide , which Bernstein premiered in a concert version with the New York Philharmonic in , became another of his most beloved works. The Overture is often programmed as a curtain-raiser—a four-minute burst of energy with a lickety-split tempo and dazzling virtuosity.

In , a film version of West Side Story was released, contributing substantially to the canonization of the work. Then in , Bernstein premiered his Symphony No. The assassination of John F. During the —65 season, Bernstein took a sabbatical from the Philharmonic to free up time for composition, and Chichester Psalms was a major result. Chichester Psalms pulsates with hybridity. By tradition, conductors were foreign born and trained, distinguished by age, and largely focused on orchestral work.

Yet, Bernstein was young, American and Jewish. All these different aspects of his life and his work contribute to why I think he said that the thing he was struggling with his whole life was a solution to the 20th century crisis of faith. Works like Kaddish or Mass readily come to mind, but Bernstein also lived out this search in his aim to educate the public about music or support a social movement, such as the Black Panthers or the AIDS crisis.

Bernstein used his position on the podium and in society to inspire a generation and music lovers around the world. In the spirit of Bernstein, his portrait at the National Portrait Gallery expands the definition of portraiture.

Though he is not posed, his movement in the photo emphasizes his persona. Step up he did. The young conductor amazed his crowd and his players. Ecstatic applause implored The New York Times to publish a front-page article about his performance. Overnight, Bernstein became a respected conductor, one who would lead the Philharmonic 11 times by the end of the season.

Despite his great talents, rumors about his sexuality became rampant. His mentor Mitropoulos advised him to marry, believing that doing so would quash the speculations and secure his career. Although friends and colleagues always said Bernstein loved his wife, with whom he had three children, he continued to engage in extramarital liaisons with young men.

In that same year, he wrote the musical Trouble in Tahiti , a minute two-character chamber piece about a bored, upper-middle-class couple. He also found a love for teaching. Always a fan of both classical and pop music, Bernstein wrote his first operetta, Candide in When it opened, the show garnered unanimous rave reviews, matched only by its movie version released in We strive for accuracy and fairness.

If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Bernstein continued as music director for the New York Philharmonic till , after which he served the philharmonic as a laureate conductor. The episodes were so successful that they were even premiered in foreign languages. Bernstein was also highly renowned for his compositions.

It also ran at the famous London West End Theatres for a total of one thousand and thirty nine performances. His other broadway productions included an adaptation of J.