The Secrets and Surprises of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14
Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14: A Guide for Musical Lovers
If you are a fan of musicals, you may have heard of Candide, a witty and whimsical show composed by the legendary Leonard Bernstein. But did you know that there is a libretto for this musical that you can read online? And that this libretto is not just a script, but a masterpiece of literary and musical art? In this article, we will explore what Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 is, how it came to be, what it contains, and why you should check it out.
Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14
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Introduction
Before we dive into the details of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14, let's first clarify some basic terms and concepts.
What is Candide?
Candide is a musical based on the 1759 novel of the same name by the French philosopher Voltaire. It tells the story of a young man named Candide, who travels around the world in search of his true love, Cunegonde, and encounters various misfortunes and adventures along the way. The musical is a satire of optimism, religion, politics, and human nature.
Who is Leonard Bernstein?
Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and humanitarian. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He composed many works for orchestra, ballet, opera, film, and theater, including West Side Story, On the Town, Chichester Psalms, Mass, and of course, Candide. He also conducted many renowned orchestras around the world and taught at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and Juilliard School.
What is a libretto?
A libretto is the text or script of an opera or musical. It usually contains the dialogue, lyrics, stage directions, and sometimes notes on the music. A libretto can be written by one or more authors, and can be based on an original story or adapted from another source. A libretto can also be published as a book or a pdf file for readers to enjoy.
The History of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14
Now that we have some background information on Candide and its creators, let's take a look at how Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 came to be.
The original novel by Voltaire
The story of Candide begins with the novel by Voltaire, which was published in 1759. Voltaire was a French Enlightenment thinker who criticized the corruption and hypocrisy of his society through his witty and sarcastic writings. He wrote Candide as a parody of the optimistic philosophy of Leibniz, who claimed that everything happens for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Voltaire used Candide as a vehicle to mock the absurdity and cruelty of the world, and to expose the flaws of human nature.
The first musical adaptation in 1956
The novel by Voltaire inspired Leonard Bernstein to create a musical adaptation of Candide in 1956. He collaborated with the playwright Lillian Hellman, who wrote the book, and the poet Richard Wilbur, who wrote most of the lyrics. The musical premiered on Broadway in December 1956, but it was not well received by the critics and the audience. It closed after only 73 performances.
The revisions and versions over the years
Despite the initial failure of Candide, Bernstein did not give up on his musical. He revised and rewrote it several times over the years, with the help of different collaborators, such as Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim, John Wells, John Mauceri, and John Caird. He also changed the style and tone of the musical, from a dark and serious opera to a light and comic operetta. He experimented with different versions of Candide, such as a concert version, a one-act version, a two-act version, and a three-act version.
The final version in 1989
The final version of Candide was completed by Bernstein in 1989, shortly before his death. He called it Candide: The Final Revised Version. It was based on the two-act version that he had created with Hugh Wheeler in 1973, but with some modifications and additions. He also restored some of the original music and lyrics that he had cut or changed in previous versions. He recorded this version with the London Symphony Orchestra and a cast of singers and actors, and released it as a double CD album. This version is also known as Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14, because it contains 14 musical numbers in each act.
The Content of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14
Now that we know the history of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14, let's see what it contains.
The main characters and plot summary
The main characters of Candide are:
Candide: A naive and optimistic young man who is taught by his tutor Pangloss that everything happens for the best in the best of all possible worlds.
Cunegonde: The beautiful daughter of a German baron who is Candide's true love. She is raped, sold, and married several times during her travels.
Pangloss: A philosopher who is Candide's tutor and mentor. He is hanged, dissected, syphilitic, and resurrected several times during his travels.
Old Lady: A companion of Cunegonde who has one buttock and a tragic past. She is wise and cynical.
Voltaire: The narrator of the story who also plays various roles such as a judge, a sailor, a governor, etc.
The plot summary of Candide is:
Act IAct II
Candide lives in Westphalia with Cunegonde, Pangloss, and other nobles. He is expelled from the castle after kissing Cunegonde.Candide arrives in Venice with Martin, a pessimistic scholar. He reunites with Cunegonde, Pangloss, Old Lady, Maximilian, and Paquette.
Candide is conscripted into the Bulgarian army and witnesses the horrors of war. He escapes to Holland where he meets Jacques, a kind Anabaptist.Candide discovers that Cunegonde has become ugly and greedy. He buys her freedom from her husband Don Fernando. He also frees Pangloss from slavery.
Candide reunites with Pangloss who tells him that Cunegonde is dead. He travels with Jacques and Pangloss to Lisbon where they experience an earthquake and an auto-da-fé.Candide meets five deposed kings who are living in poverty. He also meets Cacambo who tells him that Cunegonde is in Constantinople.
Act IAct II
Candide kills Don Fernando and escapes with Cunegonde, Old Lady, Pangloss, Maximilian (Cunegonde's brother), and Paquette (a maid). They sail to Eldorado, a utopian land of gold and happiness.Candide buys a farm with his remaining fortune. He invites Cunegonde, Pangloss, Old Lady, Maximilian, Paquette, Martin, and Cacambo to join him. They live a simple and honest life.
Candide decides to leave Eldorado with some of its riches. He hopes to find Cunegonde and make her his wife. He gives some of his wealth to the poor and the needy along the way.Candide realizes that he still loves Cunegonde despite her flaws. He marries her with the consent of Pangloss. They all agree that they must cultivate their garden.
The musical numbers and themes
The musical numbers of Candide are:
Act IAct II
OvertureUniversal Good
Westphalia ChoraleMy Love
Life is Happiness IndeedWe Are Women
The Best of All Possible WorldsThe Pilgrim's Procession/Alleluia
Oh, Happy WeQuiet
It Must Be SoIntroduction to Eldorado
Westphalia/The BattleThe Ballad of Eldorado
Candide's LamentWords, Words, Words
Dear BoyBon Voyage
Auto-da-fé (What a Day)The Kings' Barcarolle
Candide Begins His Travels/Losing Not Only His Sheep But His Faith As Well/It Must Be Me (Candide's Second Meditation)Money, Money, Money
The Paris Waltz/Glitter and Be GayWhat's the Use?
You Were Dead, You KnowThe Venice Gavotte
I Am Easily Assimilated (Old Lady's Tango)Nothing More Than This
Quartet FinaleUniversal Good (Reprise)/Make Our Garden Grow (Finale)
The themes of Candide are:
Optimism vs. realism: The musical explores the contrast between Pangloss's optimistic philosophy and the harsh reality of the world. It also shows how Candide evolves from a naive believer to a realistic thinker.
Love vs. lust: The musical portrays the difference between Candide's pure and faithful love for Cunegonde and the lustful and greedy desires of other characters. It also shows how love can survive despite trials and tribulations.
Innocence vs. experience: The musical depicts the loss of innocence and the gain of experience of Candide and Cunegonde as they travel around the world and encounter various challenges and dangers. It also shows how they retain their hope and humor despite their hardships.
Satire vs. humor: The musical uses satire and humor to mock the absurdity and cruelty of the world, such as war, religion, politics, and human nature. It also uses irony and wit to entertain and enlighten the audience.
Happiness vs. contentment: The musical questions the meaning and source of happiness in life. It suggests that happiness is not found in wealth, power, fame, or beauty, but in simplicity, honesty, work, and love.
The satire and humor
Candide is a musical that is full of satire and humor. It uses various techniques to create comedy and laughter, such as:
Exaggeration: The musical exaggerates the events and characters of the story to make them more ridiculous and absurd, such as the multiple deaths and resurrections of Pangloss, the one-buttocked Old Lady, and the five deposed kings.
Parody: The musical parodies the conventions and styles of other genres and works, such as opera, operetta, musical comedy, Voltaire's novel, and Leibniz's philosophy.
Puns: The musical uses words and phrases that have more than one meaning or sound alike to create jokes and wordplay, such as "auto-da-fé" (act of faith or burning at the stake), "glitter and be gay" (sparkle and be happy or prostitute and be homosexual), and "make our garden grow" (cultivate our land or have sex).
Allusions: The musical refers to other historical, literary, or cultural figures or events to create humor and irony, such as Christopher Columbus, Isaac Newton, Alexander Pope, Martin Luther, John Milton, etc.
Breaking the fourth wall: The musical addresses or interacts with the audience directly to create humor and intimacy, such as Voltaire's narration, Pangloss's lectures, and Candide's questions.
The Benefits of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14
Finally, let's see what are the benefits of Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 for you as a musical lover.
Why you should read the libretto before watching the musical
Reading the libretto before watching the musical can help you to:
Understand the story better: The libretto provides you with the dialogue, lyrics, stage directions, and notes on the music that can help you to follow the plot and characters of the musical more easily.
Appreciate the music more: The libretto allows you to see how the music matches and enhances the words and emotions of the musical. You can also notice the musical motifs, themes, and variations that Bernstein used to create his musical masterpiece.
Enjoy the humor more: The libretto enables you to catch all the jokes, puns, allusions, and parodies that are hidden in the musical. You can also laugh at the satire and irony that Bernstein used to mock the world and human nature.
How to download and access the libretto online
Downloading and accessing the libretto online is very easy. You can simply follow these steps:
Go to this link: https://www.leonardbernstein.com/uploads/pages/files/CandideLibretto.pdf
Click on the download button or save the file to your device.
Open the file with a pdf reader or a web browser.
Enjoy reading Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14!
What you can learn from the libretto about music, literature, and philosophy
Reading Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 can also enrich your knowledge and understanding of music, literature, and philosophy. You can learn about:
The musical genius of Leonard Bernstein: You can admire how Bernstein composed a brilliant score that combines various musical genres and styles, such as classical, jazz, folk, Latin, etc. You can also appreciate how Bernstein used musical devices such as leitmotifs, counterpoint, harmony, etc. to create musical drama and expression.
The literary talent of Voltaire and his collaborators: You can respect how Voltaire wrote a witty and clever novel that influenced many writers and thinkers. You can also acknowledge how his collaborators adapted his novel into a witty and clever libretto that enhanced his original work.
The philosophical ideas of Voltaire and Leibniz: You can explore how Voltaire challenged and criticized Leibniz's optimistic philosophy that everything happens for the best in the best of all possible worlds. You can also reflect on how Voltaire proposed his own philosophy that we must make our own happiness in this imperfect world.
Conclusion
Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 has some musical numbers and lyrics that are not in other versions, such as Universal Good, My Love, We Are Women, Quiet, The Ballad of Eldorado, Words, Words, Words, Bon Voyage, Money, Money, Money, What's the Use?, Nothing More Than This, and Universal Good (Reprise)/Make Our Garden Grow (Finale).
Candide Bernstein Libretto Pdf 14 has some musical numbers and lyrics that are different from other versions, such as The Best of All Possible Worlds, Glitter and Be Gay, I Am Easily Assimilated (Old Lady's Tango), and The Venice Gavotte.
Q: What are some of the awards and accolades that Candide has received?
A: Some of the awards and accolades that Candide has received are:
The 1957 Tony Award for Best Conductor and Musical Director (Leonard Bernstein)
The 1974 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (Hugh Wheeler)
The 1974 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (Harold Prince)
The 1974 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Harold Prince)
The 1974 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics (Richard Wilbur)
The 1974 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music (Leonard Bernstein)
The 1988 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (Leonard Bernstein)
The 1997 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival
The 2005 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical Revival
Q: Where can I find more information about Candide and Leonard Bernstein?
A: You can find more information about Candide and Leonard Bernstein on these websites:
The official website of Leonard Bernstein: https://www.leonardbernstein.com/
The official website of Candide: https://www.leonardbernstein.com/works/view/11/candide
The Wikipedia page of Candide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide_(operetta)
The Wikipedia page of Leonard Bernstein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear from you. And remember, everything happens for the best in the best of all possible worlds! 71b2f0854b