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Sheldon Mayer Harnick
Librettist

Biography
Sheldon Harnick was born in Chicago in 1924. Following his service in World War II, he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree at Northwestern University, majoring in violin. After working as a professional musician in and around Chicago, he moved to New York in 1950 to pursue a career in the musical theater.

Harnick's first song for a Broadway show was the hilarious “Boston Beguine” for New Faces of 1952. He then contributed songs to the revues Two's Company (starring Bette Davis), John Murray Anderson's Almanac and The Littlest Revue. His collaboration with composer Jerry Bock produced such Broadway classics as Fiorello! (1959): Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award; Tenderloin (1960); She Loves Me (1963): Grammy Award; Fiddler on the Roof (1964) Tony Award; The Apple Tree (1966) and The Rothschilds (1970). Other collaborations include A Christmas Carol with Michel Legrand (1981); Rex with Richard Rodgers (1976); A Wonderful Life with Joe Raposo (1986) and The Phantom Tollbooth with Arnold Black (1995). For Dragons and Malpractice Makes Perfect, he provided book lyrics and music. He has written songs for the films The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and Blame It On Rio (1984), both with music by Cy Coleman; and Aaron's Magic Village (1995) with Michel Legrand.

In the 1970s, Mr. Harnick expanded his field of activities by translating L'Histoire du Soldat (Stravinski), L'Enfant et les Sortileges (Ravel), Bizet's Carmen and Lehar's The Merry Widow. This latter translation was commissioned for the New York City Center production starring Beverly Sills. Ms. Sills' recording won a Grammy Award as the year's best-recorded opera. Mr. Harnick also translated Michel Legrand and Jacques Demy's film Les Parapluies de Cherbourg for the stage.

The 1970s also saw Mr. Harnick's entry into the world of opera. With composer Jack Beeson, he has provided the librettos for Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines (1975), Dr. Heidegger's Fountain of Youth (1978) and Cyrano (1994). Other operas include Love in Two Countries with Thomas Shepard (1991) and Coyote Tales with Henry Mollicone (1998).

In 2015, Harbinger Records released Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures. The two-CD set includes more than 50 rare demo recordings written for 17 of his shows, with performances by Harnick and composer Jerry Bock, as well as Audra McDonald, Brian d'Arcy James, Hugh Martin, Margery Gray Harnick and Charlotte Rae, to name a few.

Mr. Harnick has won a Pulitzer Prize, two Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, two New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, three gold records and a platinum record.

In 2016, he received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, the Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award from The Outer Critics Circle.

He and his wife, photographer Margery Gray, have collaborated on two extraordinary picture books, The Outdoor Museum (Not Your Usual Images of New York) and KOI: A Modern Folktale, which features her photographs and his poetry.

In 2019, the first ever Fiddler on the Roof documentary, Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles, was released in over 126 movie theaters nationwide, with Sheldon at the forefront as the film's narrator. The film includes tales from incarnation to the most recent Yiddish language production of the iconic musical.

Mr. Harnick and his wife celebrated their 55th Anniversary in 2020; they have two children, Beth and Matthew, and two grandchildren. Mr. Harnick is a longtime member of both the Dramatists Guild and the Songwriters Guild of America.

OPERA America/Opera.ca Grants Awarded
Click here to learn more about OPERA America granting programs.
GRANT NAMEYEAR
Opera for a New America 1994
Opera for a New America 1994
Opera for a New America 1994
Opera for a New America 1994


Productions
Click company name to view productions details.
COMPANYTITLEDATES
Valley Opera and Performing ArtsFiddler on the Roof6/1/2024 - 6/9/2024
Seagle FestivalFiddler on the Roof8/16/2023 - 8/19/2023
Lyric Opera of ChicagoFiddler on the Roof9/17/2022 - 10/7/2022
Madison OperaShe Loves Me2/18/2022 - 2/20/2022
Opera MontanaShe Loves Me2/9/2018 - 2/18/2018
Detroit OperaCyrano5/13/2017 - 5/21/2017
Lyric Opera San DiegoFiddler on the Roof4/10/2011 - 4/10/2011
Florida Grand OperaCyrano4/4/2011 - 5/7/2011
Florida Grand OperaCyrano4/4/2008 - 5/17/2008
Opera PhiladelphiaCyrano2/2/2008 - 2/17/2008
Sorg OperaFiddler on the Roof10/26/2007 - 10/26/2007
Detroit OperaCyrano10/10/2007 - 10/27/2007
Amarillo OperaFiddler on the Roof7/7/2007 - 7/15/2007
OperaDelawareThe Phantom Tollbooth3/2/2006 - 3/7/2006
Bay View Music FestivalFiddler on the Roof7/1/2005 - 7/31/2004
LOOK Musical TheatreFiddler on the Roof6/1/2005 - 6/30/2005
Chautauqua OperaFiddler on the Roof8/1/2004 - 8/23/2004
Utah Festival OperaFiddler on the Roof7/7/2003 - 7/31/2003
Capitol Opera SacramentoFiddler on the Roof1/1/2002 - 1/27/2002
Charlottesville OperaFiddler on the Roof7/7/2001 - 8/18/2001
Skylight Music TheatreFiddler on the Roof11/11/1999 - 12/18/1999
Chautauqua OperaShe Loves Me8/8/1998 - 8/24/1998
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityCoyote Tales3/3/1998 - 3/15/1998
Lyric Opera San DiegoFiddler on the Roof9/9/1997 - 9/28/1997
Utah Festival OperaCoyote Tales8/5/1997 - 8/5/1997
Skylight Music TheatreShe Loves Me11/11/1995 - 11/29/1995
Utah Festival OperaShe Loves Me7/7/1995 - 7/29/1995
OperaDelawareThe Phantom Tollbooth3/1/1995 - 3/5/1995
The Cleveland OperaFiddler on the Roof5/1/1994 - 5/22/1994
Opera AustraliaFiddler on the Roof2/1/1992 - 4/1/1992


Artist Information

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