Exceptional Things

Exceptional Things

"Dedicated to putting a spotlight on exceptional works created by exceptional people in all walks of life"
– David Pack

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story Remake Masterpiece
Excerpt from Bernstein Newsletter Dec ‘21

Dear friends,

At long, long last, Steven Spielberg's new film adaptation of WEST SIDE STORY has arrived in theaters nationwide and around the world. We are truly thrilled about all the rave reviews coming in, thick and fast. The Bernstein family had an unforgettable evening at the NYC premiere — albeit rendered bittersweet by the sudden loss, a mere handful of days before, of Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story collaborator, perennial word game sparring partner, and beloved family friend. News of his passing has hit us all very hard.

In this issue, as part of the premiere festivities, we share ABC's behind-the-scenes special Something's Coming; West Side Story, as well as a fascinating webinar exploring the creation of the 1957 musical, featuring rare facts and artifacts from the Library of Congress. And for your listening fun, we provide a link to the new 2021 West Side Story motion picture soundtrack, which already sits at #9 on the iTunes charts. Now available on digital and CD. 

As part of our celebration of the 50th anniversary of MASS, we're announcing a free livestream panel discussion, to be co-presented by the Leonard Bernstein Office and Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music You'll also find an article from our archives on MASS in Philadelphia.

In additional news, Deutsche Grammophon has released a new vinyl of Bernstein's only appearance with the Berlin Philharmonic. We also invite listeners to get into the festive season with Bernstein's much-beloved 1963 recording, The Joy of Christmas. 

—Jamie Bernstein & Craig Urquhart, editors

The Buzz Begins... 11 Critics Choice Nominations & 4 Golden Globe Nominations