The music theater world mourns the death of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who passed away on Nov. 26 at 91. His 70-year legacy of musical theater masterworks on Broadway earned him a Pulitzer Prize, an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A few of his hits include “West Side Story,” “Into the Woods,” and “Company.” WABE music contributor Dr. Scott Stewart joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to pay tribute to the massive influence of a composer whose music redefined stage entertainment and lifted spirits everywhere.
Interview highlights:
Sondheim the artist: “I think one of Sondheim’s greatest distinctions as a composer and a lyricist was his attention to character, and how conversations that we might have at a coffee shop could easily be adapted into musical numbers, which often included a lot of witty and clever, tightly rhymed, chatty lyrics,” said Stewart. “His music was mathematically tricky and full of rhythmic landmines for performers, which is why we love to play it so much. But they were always digging deeper into the hearts of the characters.”
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