What is there left to say about this musical, deservedly one of the most famous in the canon?Created by what lyricist Stephen Sondheim described as "a unique concatenation of people" (Leonard Bernstein, Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins), the show remains as explosively vibrant, daring, and modern as it was decades ago. Bernstein integrated Latin percussion and jazz into his electrifying score, dazzlingly translating New York's unique vitality into a musical idiom.
West Side Story has been adapted for jazz and interpreted by pop and opera singers, but you owe it to yourself to check out the original version to see what the fuss was all about. This new reissue adds over 20 minutes of "symphonic dances" as well as liner notes and production photos. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Carol Lawrence opened West Side Story as the youthful, vibrant Maria, beautiful and full of hope. She believed that love could conquer all, and dared to fall in love with Tony, an Anglo. Amidst the... more
Carol Lawrence opened West Side Story as the youthful, vibrant Maria, beautiful and full of hope. She believed that love could conquer all, and dared to fall in love with Tony, an Anglo. Amidst the energy and rage of the barrios of New York City, their love is played out to a tragic conclusion. Tony is shot while trying to prevent a gang fight, and Maria is forced to carry his body away from the stunned fighters, stunned by the suddenness of tragedy. In her sadness and despair, she sings about ...a place for us, a time and place for us, peace and quiet and open air...