FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA 27–28 JULY 2018 CONCERT PROGRAM MIRISCH PICTURES Presents “WEST SIDE STORY” A ROBERT WISE Production Starring NATALIE WOOD RICHARD BEYMER RUSS TAMBLYN RITA MORENO GEORGE CHAKIRIS Directed by ROBERT WISE & JEROME ROBBINS Screenplay by ERNEST LEHMAN Associate Producer SAUL CHAPLIN Choreography by JEROME ROBBINS Music by LEONARD BERNSTEIN Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Based upon the Stage Play Produced by ROBERT E. GRIFFITH AND HAROLD S. PRINCE Book by ARTHUR LAURENTS Play Conceived, Directed and Choreographed by JEROME ROBBINS Film Production Designed by BORIS LEVEN Music Conducted by JOHNNY GREEN Presented by MIRISCH PICTURES, INC. In Association with SEVEN ARTS PRODUCTIONS INC. Filmed by PANAVISION® TECHNICOLOR® FILM SCREENING OF WEST SIDE STORY COURTESY OF METRO GOLDWYN MAYER STUDIOS INC. WEST SIDE STORY © 1961 METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WEST SIDE STORY IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD AND ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS. PRODUCTION CREDITS Original manuscript reconstruction: Ramin Collection at Columbia Producer: Paul H. Epstein for The Eleonor M. Sandresky University, The Robert Wise Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc. Technical Consultant: Laura Gibson Collection at the University of Associate Producer: Eleonor Soundtrack Adaptation: Chace Southern California, Lawrence A. M. Sandresky for The Leonard Audio by Deluxe: Robert Heiber, Mirisch, David Newman, Metro Bernstein Office, Inc. Chris Reynolds, Andrew Starbin, Goldwyn Mayer Studios, Ken Hahn Production Supervisor: Meera Alice Taylor and Sync Sound Vijayendra Sound Separation Technology Technical Director: Mike Runice provided by Audionamix Sound Engineer: Martin Bierman Click Tracks and Streamers created Music Supervision: Garth Edwin by: Kristopher Carter and Mako Sunderland Sujishi West Side Story is a registered Original Orchestrations: Leonard With special thanks to: Arthur trademark of The Leonard Bernstein Bernstein, Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal Laurents and his Estate, Stephen Office, Inc. in the US and other Additional orchestrations: Garth Sondheim, The Robbins Rights countries. Edwin Sunderland & Peter West Trust, The Johnny Green Collection Music Preparation: Peter West at Harvard University, The Sid Running time: Two hours and 40 minutes, including a 20-minute interval In consideration of your fellow patrons, the MSO thanks you for silencing and dimming the light on your phone. The MSO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which it is performing. MSO pays its respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Elders from other mso.com.au (03) 9929 9600 communities who may be in attendance. MELBOURNE SYMPHONY BENJAMIN NORTHEY ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR Established in 1906, the Melbourne Benjamin Northey is Chief Conductor Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an of the Christchurch Symphony arts leader and Australia’s oldest Orchestra and Associate Conductor professional orchestra. Chief of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Conductor Sir Andrew Davis has Benjamin appears regularly as guest been at the helm of MSO since 2013. conductor with all major Australian Engaging more than 4 million people symphony orchestras, Opera Australia each year, the MSO reaches diverse (Turandot, L’elisir d’amore, Don Giovanni, audiences through live performances, Così fan tutte, Carmen), New Zealand recordings, TV and radio broadcasts Opera (Sweeney Todd) and State Opera and live streaming. Its international South Australia (La sonnambula, Les audiences include China, where MSO contes d’Hoffmann). His international has performed in 2012, 2016 and appearances include concerts with most recently in May 2018, Europe London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo (2014) and Indonesia, where in 2017 Philharmonic Orchestra and Mozarteum it performed at the UNESCO World Orchestra Salzburg. Heritage Site, Prambanan Temple. With a progressive and diverse The MSO performs a variety of approach to repertoire, he has concerts ranging from symphonic collaborated with a broad range of performances at its home, Hamer artists including Maxim Vengerov and Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne, to its Slava Grigoryan, as well as popular annual free concerts at Melbourne’s artists Tim Minchin, Barry Humphries largest outdoor venue, the Sidney and James Morrison. Myer Music Bowl. The MSO also delivers innovative and engaging An Honorary Fellow at the University programs and digital tools to of Melbourne Conservatorium audiences of all ages through its of Music, his awards include the Education and Outreach initiatives. prestigious 2010 Melbourne Prize Outstanding Musician’s Award as well as multiple awards for his numerous recordings with ABC Classics. In 1955, a conducting engagement at character-driven choreography, the Hollywood Bowl brought 36-year- Laurents’ ingenious transposition of old composer Leonard Bernstein to Shakespeare, and the thrilling Bernstein Los Angeles. That August, a chance score, with lyrics by Sondheim that meeting at the Beverly Hills Hotel included “Tonight” and “Maria.” When with playwright Arthur Laurents Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise reignited the two artists’ stalled plan joined forces to co-direct the 1961 to collaborate on a musical. screen version for United Artists, starring box office favourite Natalie Seven years earlier, choreographer/ Wood and Richard Beymer (The Diary director Jerome Robbins had of Anne Frank), the result was one of approached Bernstein with what the the decade’s greatest commercial and composer called in his diary “a noble critical triumphs. idea: a modern version of Romeo and Juliet set in slums at the coincidence of The film’s co-stars, George Chakiris Easter-Passover celebrations. Feelings (Bernardo) and Rita Moreno (Anita), run high between Jews and Catholics… took home Academy Awards for Best Street brawls, double death – it all fits.” Supporting Actor and Actress. Their The idea lay dormant until a chance victories were echoed by Oscars for meeting in 1955 reignited the two Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, artists’ stalled plan to collaborate on Color; Best Cinematography, Color; a musical, when an L.A. newspaper Best Costume Design, Color (winner headline about Latino gang problems Irene Sharaff also worked on the inspired an exciting new path. With the Broadway original); Best Film Editing; hiring of 25-year-old composer Stephen Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Sondheim, who reluctantly signed on to Picture; Best Sound; Best Director provide lyrics only, the final pieces fell (for both Robbins and Wise, the first into place. time this award was shared); and Best Picture. Jerome Robbins also received After two years of rewriting and an honorary Academy Award “for his struggles to raise financing, West Side brilliant achievements in the art of Story’s 1957 Broadway opening elicited choreography on film.” reactions that ranged from passionate raves to stunned walk-outs. The latter Half a century after its original release, were sparked by the musical’s depiction West Side Story the motion picture will of gang warfare and prejudice, and its be presented tonight in a format that near unprecedented body count for a brings its own innovations. MGM has musical on the Great White Way. The created a restored, high-definition print show was largely snubbed at the Tony of the film that reveals details unseen Awards in favour of a more accessible since 1961. Sound technology developed rival, The Music Man. by Paris-based Audionamix was utilised to remove orchestral elements on the Nevertheless, audiences in New York soundtrack while retaining vocals, and London (where the show was an dialogue, and effects. This allows instant smash) quickly caught up with tonight’s conductor, Benjamin Northey, the innovations of Robbins’ explosive, to accompany the vocals with the Mirisch, she was able to assemble a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, in mock-up short score of the complete a live performance of the complete film. Garth Edwin Sunderland, Senior Bernstein score. Music Editor for the Bernstein Office, restored and adapted the orchestration Although the original musical materials for live performance. At the same time, for the movie arrangements were lost, Sunderland oversaw the creation of 14 months of research by Eleonor M. a brand new engraving of the entire Sandresky of The Leonard Bernstein film score, right down to last-minute Office brought to light a trove of modifications made on the scoring important finds in private collections stage in 1961. and library archives around the country. From materials discovered in the papers The final result is a presentation of West of orchestrator Sid Ramin, as well as Side Story unlike any in the history of in the archives of conductor/music this screen musical. supervisor Johnny Green, director Steven Smith is an Emmy-nominated documentary Robert Wise, and producer Walter producer, journalist, and author of the biography “A Heart at Fire’s Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann” Honouring Mrs Jeanne Pratt AC, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Life Member ‘I’m an ordinary woman who has led an extraordinary life’ Extraordinary barely does justice to the remarkable circumstances of Jeanne Pratt’s life. Born in Poland, her Jewish family fled to Australia in 1939, narrowly escaping Nazi persecution. Growing up in Sydney, Jeanne attended Sydney Girls’ High, and later, the University of Sydney. Working as a journalist, she was on an assignment in Melbourne when she met Richard Pratt, the handsome son of Polish parents who had also emigrated to Australia. Three days later, they were engaged. The rest,