Stephen Sondheim is dead. The queer lyricist and composer, who penned "Westside Story" among others, died in Connecticut at the age of 91. According to media reports, he had celebrated with some friends and girlfriends just a day before.
His name is one of the best known in the musical scene. In addition to the aforementioned "Westside Story", he also wrote for "Sweeney Todd", among others.
Who was Stephen Sondheim?
During his life Stephen Sondheim collected many awards. He won Grammys, Tonys and the Oscar, among others. But who was Stephen Sondheim actually? The composer and lyricist spent his childhood and youth in different places. His relationship with his parents was not the best. Among other things, due to many contacts with other artists, especially musicians and composers, he decided at some point to try his luck here himself.
It was only comparatively late, at the age of 40, that Sondheim decided to come out of the closet. His partners included Peter Jones and Jeff Romley. He married the latter.
Stephen Sondheim never really retired
... and that's exactly what his fans around the world appreciated. However, the lyricist noticed more and more how the musical industry was changing and how other areas of culture were suddenly becoming more relevant for many people. Now and then he complained that everything had become much more fast-paced. Nevertheless, he held on to his great love, the theater, until the end.
Many Sondheim fans believe that the composer's music is among the most demanding in the world of musicals. Accordingly, it is self-explanatory why there are few Sondheim pieces that contain real earworms. Rather, some of them are about complex melodies and impressive lyrics. His love of convoluted structures is evident in a wide variety of areas.
Just how profound his music ultimately is can be seen, among other things, in the piece "Sunday in the Park with George". If you take a closer look at Stephen Sondheim's life and his views, you will quickly realize that there are many biographical elements here.
Ups and downs of an eventful life
Even though Stephen Sondheim is one of the most successful musical composers of his time, it would certainly be wrong to claim that his career was characterized exclusively by highs. Excitingly, for example, Saturday Night, a musical for which he wrote both lyrics and music, never made it to Broadway.
On the other hand, his songs for Westside Story became groundbreaking successes. Anyone Can Whistle, on the other hand, was initially in the red again, before - with considerable delay - a cult developed.
Sondheim's art was appreciated until his death. And he himself showed no ambition to stop writing at some point and retire. Only in late autumn did he solemnly announce that he wanted to tackle a new musical. Unfortunately, this was not to happen. What definitely remains, however, is the result of his artistic work and music that will most likely still be sung in many years to come.
Did you already know that Bill Kaulitz had a quicky on the toilet?