Redwood Symphony Maestro Eric Kujawsky said Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics for the original 1979 musical thriller, could be one of the greatest composers of our time.
"I’ve long come to the conclusion that Mr. Sondheim could well be our greatest composer, up there with Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein, et al.," Kujawsky said. "The only reason that he is not, I’m convinced, is the snobbery that many serious musicians feel towards musical theatre."
Set in 19th century England, the musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years' transportation on trumped-up charges. When he finds out that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by the judge who transported him, he vows revenge on the judge and, later, the whole world. He teams up with a piemaker, Mrs. Lovett, and opens a barbershop in which he slits the throats of customers and has them baked into pies.
Tickets for both performances are $20 for adults and $10 for students. They can be purchased by visiting www.redwoodsymphony.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment