American composer and lyricist Stephen Joshua Sondheim lived from March 22, 1930, until November 26, 2021.
Sondheim, one of the most significant figures in twentieth-century musical theatre, is credited with “reinventing the American musical” with his productions that deal with “unexpected themes that range far beyond the [genre’s] traditional subjects” and have “music and lyrics of unprecedented complexity and sophistication.”
Stephen Sondheim parents: Who are his father and mother?
Sondheim was born into a Jewish family on March 22, 1930, in New York City. His parents were Herbert Sondheim and Etta Janet (“Foxy”; née Fox; 1897-1992).
His maternal grandparents, Joseph and Bessie, were Lithuanian Jews from Vilnius, while his paternal grandparents, Isaac and Rosa, were German Jews. His mother’s outfit designs were made by his father.
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Songs in his concerts are frequently laced with “ambivalence” regarding many facets of existence as they explore “darker, more distressing components of the human experience.” He was well-known for his many performances on the Broadway stage with Hal Prince and James Lapine.
