West Side Story Cultural Perspectives on an American Musical [Hardcover]

In this expansion of her doctoral dissertation, Wells (Mount Allison Univ., Canada) explores West Side Story in terms of musical and cultural expression. She begins with an account of the show from its inception to its Broadway opening. She next considers Leonard Bernstein's musical score and then discusses ethnic (primarily Hispanic) issues, gender relationships, and juvenile delinquency as revealed in the show. Finally, she writes of how perceptions of the work have changed over time. Wells's approach is broader than Nigel Simeone's in Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story (CH, Jun'10, 47-5555), which emphasizes the composer's contribution; thus the two works complement each other well. Both join Keith Garebian's The Making of West Side Story (1995) in providing in-depth treatment of this major Broadway musical. Numerous illustrations and musical examples enhance the text. Wells demonstrates command of the subject through her excellent documentation and bibliography. However, neither Wells nor Simeone provides major discussion of the film made from the musical, a subject that cries out for consideration. Summing Up: Recommended. Performing arts and large academic collections.Elizabeth Wells has written a marvelous thing, a book that is simultaneously a compulsively readable story about the genesis and reception of a famous musical, and a diligent, intent analysis of the sociology, the history, the musical technique, responsible for the remarkable success of West Side Story. There is everything to admire here: a detailed understanding of Bernstein's aesthetic as expressed in his writings and lectures; the most careful perusal of Bernstein's, Robbins's, and Sondheim's notes and comments on their work; and some fascinating pieces of research, including interviews with real juvenile delinquents who attended performances.West Side Story is such an iconic musical its difficult to believe that, as Wells points out in her illuminating study, it could have been an unmitigatelˆ