Stephen Sondheim, legendary Broadway composer and lyricist, dies at 91

[BetteDavisEyes]

Stephen Sondheim, legendary Broadway composer and lyricist, dies at 91 (nbcnews.com)

The creator of "Sweeney Todd" and "Into the Woods" was considered the greatest American theater composer and lyricist of the last half century or more.

Stephen Sondheim, a Broadway giant who has won the most Tony Awards as a composer, died early Friday at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, a spokesperson for Sondheim said. He was 91.

The cause of death was unknown.

Sondheim's attorney, F. Richard Pappas, also confirmed the composer's death and said it had been sudden.

"The day before, Mr. Sondheim had celebrated Thanksgiving with a dinner with friends in Roxbury," Pappas said in a written statement. "And he spent all day Wednesday seeing the matinee and evening performances of Dana H and Is This a Room — doing what he most loved to do."...

 

[Catmommy]

A long life and a stellar career with songs that will live forever. Well done, sir! Thank you and rest in peace. (I'm singing "Johanna" from Sweeney Todd this morning - a beautiful favorite)

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Towering musical theater master Stephen Sondheim dies at 91 (detroitnews.com)

New York – Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theater in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91.

Sondheim’s death was announced by Rick Miramontez, president of DKC/O&M. Sondheim’s Texas-based attorney, Rick Pappas, told The New York Times the composer died Friday at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut.

Sondheim influenced several generations of theater songwriters, particularly with such landmark musicals as “Company,” “Follies” and “Sweeney Todd,” which are considered among his best work. His most famous ballad, “Send in the Clowns,” has been recorded hundreds of times, including by Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins.

The artist refused to repeat himself, finding inspiration for his shows in such diverse subjects as an Ingmar Bergman movie (“A Little Night Music”), the opening of Japan to the West (“Pacific Overtures”), French painter Georges Seurat (“Sunday in the Park With George”), Grimm’s fairy tales (“Into the Woods”) and even the killers of American presidents (“Assassins”), among others...

 

[LunaInvidia]

I was not prepared for the amount of grief I felt when I learned he had passed. He was 91, which is a pretty good run! And still I locked myself in the bathroom and sobbed. There will never be another like him and he was still working. I hope very much that the production he was working on with Nathan Lane will live on in some fashion.

So, so grateful for his work and for the imprint he left. Sometimes people leave you halfway through the woods- do not let it grieve you, no one leaves for good.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

This has always been my favorite Sondheim song.

From Julie Andrews to Catherine Zeta-Jones, Over 20 Artists Sing Stephen Sondheim's 'Send in the Clowns' | Playbill

 

[Catmommy]

My first exposure to Sweeney Todd was with Len Cariou as Sweeney and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovette on a recorded performance from the stage production . It was fabulous!!! I loved and learned every song. I shared my own recording with family and friends. It made me want to know who was composer of such incredible lyrics. When I discovered it was Stephen Sondheim I realized I had known, admired his incredible work and memorized his haunting songs for years before ever learning his name.