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Stephen Joshua Sondheim
Composer
Biography
Award winning composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim does not consider his musicals to be Broadway Operas but they have been embraced as such wholeheartedly. Blurring the lines between musical theatre and traditional opera, he has written music and lyrics for some of the 20th century’s most important stage works for voice, incorporating both humorous and dark subject matter.

Born into a Jewish family in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Sondheim showed early ability in both music and mathematics. After the departure of his father at age ten, he moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he gained an important musical role model, Oscar Hammerstein II. Watching the success of Rodgers and Hammerstein as a teenager and already guided toward musical theatre he studied piano and wrote scripts and scores during his four years at Williams College, earning him a two year composition scholarship studying with avant-garde composer Milton Babbitt.

Sondheim’s breakthrough came with his lyrics to Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story in 1957. The collaboration's success earned him a multitude of creative partnerships before finally writing both the music and lyrics for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1962. Recognized as a master of songwriting he went on to win multiple Tony and Grammy Awards as well as an Academy Award for Best Song and the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

OPERA America/Opera.ca Grants Awarded
Click here to learn more about OPERA America granting programs.
GRANT NAMEYEAR
The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase 2022
Opera for a New America 1994
Opera for the Eighties and Beyond 1985
Opera for the Eighties and Beyond 1985


Productions
Click company name to view productions details.
COMPANYTITLEDATES
Opera MaineSweeney Todd7/24/2025 - 7/27/2025
Opera MontanaSweeney Todd1/30/2025 - 2/9/2025
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaSweeney Todd10/12/2024 - 10/20/2024
Union Avenue OperaInto the Woods8/16/2024 - 8/24/2024
El Paso OperaSunday in the Park with George5/17/2024 - 5/18/2024
Seagle FestivalA Little Night Music7/19/2023 - 7/22/2023
Chautauqua OperaSweeney Todd6/30/2023 - 7/21/2023
Tulsa OperaInto the Woods5/12/2023 - 5/14/2023
Opera TampaSweeney Todd4/21/2023 - 4/23/2023
Opera MontanaInto the Woods2/3/2023 - 2/12/2023
Austin OperaSweeney Todd1/28/2023 - 2/5/2023
Union Avenue OperaA Little Night Music8/19/2022 - 8/27/2022
Opera SteamboatCompany8/12/2022 - 8/12/2022
Pacific Opera ProjectInto the Woods7/8/2022 - 7/17/2022
Opera SaratogaSweeney Todd6/29/2022 - 6/30/2022
Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera (HALO)Into the Woods4/6/2022 - 4/9/2022
Annapolis OperaInto the Woods3/18/2022 - 3/20/2022
Arizona OperaA Little Night Music3/4/2022 - 3/13/2022
Opera OmahaSweeney Todd2/25/2022 - 2/27/2022
Opera In The RockA Little Night Music2/1/2022 - 2/6/2022
Des Moines Metro OperaSweeney Todd7/2/2021 - 7/25/2021
Wolf Trap Opera CompanySweeney Todd7/2/2021 - 7/3/2021
Opera MODOInto the Woods5/22/2021 - 5/27/2021
Detroit OperaSweeney Todd11/16/2019 - 11/24/2019
Madison OperaA Little Night Music2/8/2019 - 2/10/2019
Charlottesville OperaInto the Woods7/27/2018 - 7/27/2018
Atlanta OperaSweeney Todd6/9/2018 - 6/17/2018
Alamo City OperaA Little Night Music2/3/2018 - 2/4/2018
Opera on the AvalonInto the Woods11/23/2017 - 11/25/2017
Pittsburgh Festival OperaSweeney Todd7/7/2017 - 7/22/2017
St. Petersburg Opera CompanyInto the Woods6/30/2017 - 7/9/2017
Des Moines Metro OperaA Little Night Music6/24/2017 - 7/15/2017
Skylight Music TheatreSweeney Todd5/19/2017 - 5/19/2017
New Orleans Opera AssociationSweeney Todd2/10/2017 - 2/12/2017
Glimmerglass FestivalSweeney Todd7/9/2016 - 8/26/2016
Portland OperaSweeney Todd6/3/2016 - 6/11/2016
Tri-Cities OperaSweeney Todd4/29/2016 - 5/1/2016
Piedmont OperaA Little Night Music3/18/2016 - 3/18/2016
Opera RoanokeSweeney Todd10/30/2015 - 11/1/2015
Vancouver OperaSweeney Todd4/25/2015 - 5/3/2015
Hawai'i Opera TheatreSweeney Todd4/24/2015 - 4/28/2015
Eugene OperaSweeney Todd3/13/2015 - 3/15/2015
Houston Grand OperaSweeney Todd2/24/2015 - 5/9/2015
Syracuse OperaA Little Night Music2/6/2015 - 2/15/2015
Madison OperaSweeney Todd2/6/2015 - 2/8/2015
Virginia OperaSweeney Todd5/5/2014 - 5/25/2014
Houston Grand OperaA Little Night Music3/3/2014 - 3/23/2014
Pensacola OperaSweeney Todd10/10/2012 - 10/20/2012
St. Petersburg Opera CompanySweeney Todd10/5/2012 - 10/9/2012
Skylight Music TheatreSunday in the Park with George5/6/2012 - 5/6/2012
Opera Theatre of Saint LouisSweeney Todd5/5/2012 - 6/24/2012
St. Petersburg Opera CompanyA Little Night Music9/17/2010 - 9/19/2010
Opera Theatre of Saint LouisA Little Night Music6/6/2010 - 6/19/2010
Lyric Opera San DiegoA Little Night Music2/2/2010 - 2/21/2010
Mobile OperaSweeney Todd1/9/2010 - 1/9/2010
Detroit OperaA Little Night Music11/11/2009 - 11/20/2009
St. Petersburg Opera CompanyInto the Woods9/11/2009 - 9/13/2009
Central City OperaA Little Night Music7/7/2009 - 7/31/2009
Hawai'i Opera TheatreA Little Night Music8/3/2008 - 8/10/2008
Seagle FestivalCompany7/7/2008 - 7/19/2008
LOOK Musical TheatreInto the Woods6/6/2008 - 7/12/2008
Ozarks Lyric OperaA Little Night Music1/1/2008 - 1/20/2008
Shreveport OperaSweeney Todd10/26/2007 - 10/26/2007
The Cleveland OperaA Little Night Music8/8/2007 - 8/19/2007
LOOK Musical TheatreSweeney Todd6/6/2007 - 7/13/2007
North Bay OperaSweeney Todd4/4/2006 - 4/30/2006
The Cleveland OperaSweeney Todd12/1/2004 - 12/5/2004
Los Angeles OperaA Little Night Music7/1/2004 - 7/31/2004
New York City OperaSweeney Todd3/1/2004 - 3/28/2004
Minnesota OperaPassion2/1/2004 - 3/1/2004
Arizona OperaSweeney Todd2/1/2004 - 2/29/2004
Calgary Opera AssociationSweeney Todd1/1/2004 - 2/1/2004
Opera ColoradoSweeney Todd4/4/2003 - 5/5/2003
Toledo OperaSweeney Todd11/11/2002 - 11/23/2002
Lyric Opera of ChicagoSweeney Todd11/11/2002 - 12/21/2002
State Opera of South AustraliaSweeney Todd7/7/2002 - 7/27/2002
Opera AustraliaSweeney Todd4/4/2002 - 5/11/2002
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaA Little Night Music1/1/2002 - 2/5/2002
Opera AustraliaSweeney Todd9/9/2001 - 11/3/2001
Skylight Music TheatreA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum12/2/2000 - 12/15/2000
Florida State OperaA Little Night Music6/6/2000 - 6/10/2000
Opera ModestoSunday in the Park with George4/4/2000 - 4/16/2000
Lyric Opera San DiegoA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum9/9/1999 - 9/26/1999
Houston Grand OperaA Little Night Music1/1/1999 - 2/14/1999
Lyric Opera San DiegoA Little Night Music9/9/1998 - 9/27/1998
University of Michigan | School of Music, Theatre Sweeney Todd10/1/1997 - 10/18/1997
Nautilus Music-TheaterInto the Woods9/1/1997 - 9/21/1997
Tapestry OperaPassion4/7/1997 - 5/10/1997
Skylight Music TheatreSweeney Todd4/4/1997 - 5/11/1997
Pensacola OperaPassion9/9/1996 - 9/22/1996
Chautauqua OperaA Little Night Music8/8/1996 - 8/19/1996
Wildwood Park for the Performing ArtsA Little Night Music6/1/1996 - 6/9/1996
Wichita State University Opera TheatreSweeney Todd4/4/1996 - 4/21/1996
Portland OperaSweeney Todd2/2/1996 - 2/25/1996
North Bay OperaA Little Night Music7/1/1995 - 7/23/1995
Des Moines Metro OperaSweeney Todd6/6/1995 - 7/15/1995
Skylight Music TheatreA Little Night Music5/2/1995 - 6/1/1995
University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of MusicA Little Night Music7/1/1994 - 7/22/1994
Opera RoanokeSweeney Todd9/1/1993 - 10/1/1993
Skylight Music TheatreInto the Woods3/1/1993 - 4/1/1993
Houston Grand OperaA Little Night Music5/1/1992 - 6/1/1992
Opera ModestoSweeney Todd10/1/1991 - 10/31/1991
New York City OperaA Little Night Music7/1/1991 - 7/31/1991
Artist Information

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