Login      
Stephen Joshua Sondheim
Librettist
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
Houston Grand OperaWest Side Story1/31/2025 - 2/15/2025
Opera MontanaSweeney Todd1/30/2025 - 2/9/2025
Utah Symphony | Utah OperaSweeney Todd10/12/2024 - 10/20/2024
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
Lyric Opera of ChicagoWest Side Story6/2/2023 - 6/25/2023
Opera TampaSweeney Todd4/21/2023 - 4/23/2023
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
Opera SaratogaSweeney Todd6/29/2022 - 6/30/2022
Opera San JoséWest Side Story4/16/2022 - 5/1/2022
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
Detroit OperaSweeney Todd11/16/2019 - 11/24/2019
Lyric Opera of ChicagoWest Side Story5/3/2019 - 6/2/2019
Madison OperaA Little Night Music2/8/2019 - 2/10/2019
Shreveport OperaWest Side Story11/9/2018 - 11/9/2018
Atlanta OperaWest Side Story11/3/2018 - 11/11/2018
Lyric Opera of Kansas CityWest Side Story9/22/2018 - 9/30/2018
Opera IdahoWest Side Story9/15/2018 - 9/16/2018
Glimmerglass FestivalWest Side Story7/7/2018 - 8/24/2018
Atlanta OperaSweeney Todd6/9/2018 - 6/17/2018
Houston Grand OperaWest Side Story4/20/2018 - 5/6/2018
Alamo City OperaA Little Night Music2/3/2018 - 2/4/2018
Pittsburgh Festival OperaSweeney Todd7/7/2017 - 7/22/2017
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
Asheville Lyric OperaWest Side Story4/24/2015 - 4/26/2015
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
St. Petersburg Opera CompanyWest Side Story6/27/2014 - 7/6/2014
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
Vancouver OperaWest Side Story10/10/2011 - 10/28/2011
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
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
New Orleans Opera AssociationWest Side Story4/4/2008 - 4/20/2008
Boheme Opera Company AKA Boheme Opera NJWest Side Story4/4/2008 - 4/13/2008
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
Charlottesville OperaWest Side Story7/7/2006 - 8/13/2006
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
Virginia OperaWest Side Story11/11/2000 - 12/12/2000
Florida State OperaA Little Night Music6/6/2000 - 6/10/2000
Opera ModestoSunday in the Park with George4/4/2000 - 4/16/2000
Houston Grand OperaA Little Night Music1/1/1999 - 2/14/1999
Lyric Opera San DiegoA Little Night Music9/9/1998 - 9/27/1998
Opera IllinoisWest Side Story1/1/1998 - 1/24/1998
University of Michigan | School of Music, Theatre Sweeney Todd10/1/1997 - 10/18/1997
Tapestry OperaPassion4/7/1997 - 5/10/1997
Skylight Music TheatreSweeney Todd4/4/1997 - 5/11/1997
Connecticut Grand Opera and OrchestraWest Side Story10/25/1996 - 10/25/1996
Pensacola OperaPassion9/9/1996 - 9/22/1996
Music-Theatre GroupThree of Hearts9/1/1996 - 9/15/1996
Chautauqua OperaA Little Night Music8/8/1996 - 8/19/1996
Music-Theatre GroupHey Love8/1/1996 - 8/1/1996
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
McGill University West Side Story1/1/1996 - 1/22/1996
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
Augusta OperaWest Side Story9/1/1994 - 9/17/1994
University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of MusicA Little Night Music7/1/1994 - 7/22/1994
Virginia OperaWest Side Story4/1/1994 - 4/15/1994
Opera AustraliaWest Side Story2/1/1994 - 2/19/1994
Opera RoanokeSweeney Todd9/1/1993 - 10/1/1993
Music-Theatre GroupHey Love3/1/1993 - 3/1/1993
Houston Grand OperaA Little Night Music5/1/1992 - 6/1/1992
Skylight Music TheatreGypsy3/1/1992 - 4/1/1992
Opera ModestoSweeney Todd10/1/1991 - 10/31/1991
New York City OperaA Little Night Music7/1/1991 - 7/31/1991
Knoxville OperaWest Side Story7/1/1991 - 7/21/1991
Artist Information

All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below.
Title Information Form
Artist Information Form

 
STORED ADMIN COOKIE *
actor id: 0
name:
company:
email
ind id: 0
memb level: 0
expiration date: 12:00:00 AM
current url: /Applications/NAWD/people.aspx
Login As
* Visible only to OPERA America Administrators for testing purposes. Shows security cookie contents.
 
 
————
National Opera Center
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001
212.796.8620   •   Info@operamerica.com
CONNECT WITH US
                 

PARTNERS
 
Terms of Service   •   Privacy Policy   •   Copyright Policy   © Copyright 1995–2024 OPERA America Inc.