Candide
Music by Leonard Bernstein · libretto by Lillian Hellman · premiered 1956
Candide is an operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics primarily by the poet Richard Wilbur, based on the 1759 novella of the same name by Voltaire. Other contributors to the text were John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Stephen Sondheim, John Mauceri, John Wells, and Bernstein himself. Maurice Peress and Hershy Kay contributed orchestrations. The operetta was first performed in 1956 with a libretto by Lillian Hellman, but since 1974 it has been generally performed with a book by Hugh Wheeler, which is more faithful to Voltaire's novella. Although unsuccessful at its premiere, Candide has overcome the unenthusiastic reaction of early audiences and critics, and achieved more popularity.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Candide (operetta)", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Leonard Bernstein is the composer of record for this opera.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Leonard Bernstein", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Leonard Bernstein
- A Quiet Place (1983)