West Side Story
Discipline: Art (Fine arts, Performing arts)
Type of Paper: Question-Answer
Academic Level: Undergrad. (yrs 3-4)
Paper Format: APA
Pages: 1
Words: 275
Question
Arts/Musical Theater
West Side Story
- opened Broadway 1957 -music by Leonard Bernstein, orchestrations - lyrics by stephen sondheim - libretto by arthur laurents
direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins
direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins
Leonard Bernstein:
American
composer, pianist, and conductor - born in Lawrence 1918 died 1990 -
first american born leader of major us orchestra: Boston symphony and NY
philharmonic devoted to educating audiences about classical music
studied at harvard made conducting before he graduated - know for his
ballets, symphoonic choral works, and broadway musicals
What is Westside stroy based on?
Romeo and Juliet
Sharks and jets
sharks: 1st gen a,mericans from puerto rico jets: true americans, turf is being iinvaded by outsiders
interesting facts about westside story
-achieved
realism by not allowing sharks and jets to interact on set -treated
danccers like individual characters instead of just chorus -posted
stories about gang violence on bulletin board backstage
dance and music in westside story
-
coollab b/w robbins (choreographer) and Bernstein (composer) -robbins
excited about idea of working with altin music and dance choreography -
all future productions have to use and credit robbins choreography
Prologue and jet Song
sung
by riff and the jets - introduces conflict b/w jets and the sharks -
shows distinctive dance style done by jets: modern, theatrical, jazz -
choreographed dance fighting b/w two gangs -wordless -shows that
burnstein loves crossrhythm (sounds like orchestra is playing) this
creates tension - less about perfection and precisioin than about
stretching and using the space -moves b/w casual and walking music jets
vs sharks sharks: a bit more graceful more upright jets: more grounded -
happy moments and aggressive moments they enter the fight with a hand
flip thing some awkward slang he did the weird slang so it wouldnt
expire
Dance at the Gym
instrumental
number -shows conflict extends beyond just mate and gang members;
girls are part of it - jets: cool jazz style sharks: more latin
inspired but jets jump in and do mambo - syncopated rhythm
America
-sung
by Anita, Rosalia, and all the shark girls - argue about missing home/
how new home is better - song has distinctive feel of hemiola rhythm
without being true hemiola (hemiola: 2 against 3 pattern) -mostly
mocking rosalia - switches b/w 6/8 and3/4 - considered a horizontal
hemiola because it's not happening at the same time
Tonight
the
eveof big rumble b/w jets and the sharks multi part showing burnsteins
skill at polyphonic composition starts with the two gangs talking about
rumble anita sings about meeting bernardo after the fight - maria
hopeful that tony can end the fight peacefully diff melodies over same
accompaniment - Introduced by tony and maria - Clearly reflects romeo
and juliet - Balcony scene in romeo and juliet, balcony scene in west
side story fire escape - Next time we here it is in ensemble version
b/c - Sharks and jets decide they'll have a fight ○ Gonna be a
rumble, then it's just best against best - This is the night before
the fight - Mari thinks tony will stop everything - Anita sings
about how shes looking forward to the hot date after the fight -
Polyphonic choral piece Taking from broadway production