ABSTRACT
After A Quiet Place, Bernstein would never find another collaborator to help him in his quest for his American opera. In 1984, he gave a fresh slant to one of his older works in the Deutsche Grammophon recording of West Side Story. A starry cast of opera singers was drawn together under Bernstein's baton, and a documentary was made of the recording process: the meeting of Broadway music and operatic voices was not always successful, and the programme revealed the problems as well as the triumphs. In a touching moment, Bernstein's children Alexander and Nina took on the speaking parts of Tony and Maria during the balcony scene. On the Town focuses on the search for romance and fun. Bernstein was 26 years old, and had been in New York for two years. He was enjoying life with his friends and with his new-found success. Trouble in Tahiti demonstrates the quest for marital happiness.
