NPR logo NPR

At 75, Stephen Sondheim Looks Back... and Forward

Songs from Sondheim

Listen: "Pretty Women" (<i>Sweeney Todd</i>)

Listen: "Color and Light" (<i>Sunday in the Park with George</i>)

Listen: "Someone in a Tree" (<i>Pacific Overtures</i>)

More from Sondheim

Listen: What He Listens To

Listen: "I Work Better in the City..."

Listen: On Working with Director Hal Prince

Talking About Sondheim

Listen: Frank Rich: On 'Pacific Overtures'

Listen: Sheldon Harnick: On 'Saturday Night'

Listen: Angela Lansbury: On 'Anyone Can Whistle'

Listen: Frank Rich: Sondheim Beyond Broadway

Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim turns 75 on March 22. The living legend will be honored with a 12-hour performance of his works, Wall-to-Wall Sondheim, Saturday at New York's Symphony Space.

Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim

He composed stage classics including Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Company and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; and he provided the lyrics for shows such as West Side Story and Gypsy.

After so many songs, numerous Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar (for best original song, 1990's Dick Tracy), Sondheim might not be blamed for enjoying a quiet retirement. But he continues to work: Bounce was produced in Washington, D.C. in 2003. And an album of Sondheim singing his own music — recorded in the 1950s and '60s — is due out in May.

Featured Artist

Stephen Sondheim

Explore Stephen Sondheim's full NPR Archive

Comments

 

Please keep your community civil. All comments must follow the NPR.org Community rules and Terms of Use. NPR reserves the right to use the comments we receive, in whole or in part, and to use the commenter's name and location, in any medium. See also the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Community FAQ.

NPR logo NPR