The composer, who had written the words of “West Side Story”, died on Friday. It was 91 years old.
Le Monde with AFP
Stephen Sondheim, Legend of the American musical and lyrics of West Side Story, died at the age of 91, said Friday, November 26 his lawyer in New York Times
According to F. Richard Pappas, Stephen Sondheim died suddenly Friday morning at his home from Roxbury, in Connecticut (northeastern country), after celebrating Thanksgiving with his friends the day before.
Formed all young by the Grand Master of Musical Oscar Hammerstein (Show Boat, The Melody of Happiness), Stephen Sondheim had been hired at only 25 years to write the lyrics of now mythical West Side Story.
Eight Grammy Awards, Eight Tony Awards and Oscar
Born March 22, 1930, in New York, it was considered one of the largest composers of musical comedy.
He had worked on Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, Sunday in the Park with George, a Little Night Music, as a composer or lyrics.
During his long career, Stephen Sondheim won eight Grammy Awards, just as many of Tony Awards, and an Oscar.
In 2015, Barack Obama, then President of the United States, gave him the presidential medal of freedom, the highest civilian distinction.