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Classical music has long felt the Bern
(
stein
)
to speak in political tones
in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s “Cel-
ebrating
Years of Bernstein” gala
this season. Kate Baldwin, on a brief
hiatus from her Tony Award–nom-
inated run in Broadway’s revival of
Hello Dolly!,
took the stage and deliv-
ered an ine ably moving rendition of
Leonard Bernstein’s Vietnam-era protest song “So Pretty.” is af-
fecting piece, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, was
rst heard in
at the
Broadway for Peace
fundraiser co-hosted
by Bernstein and Paul Newman. It was performed then by Barbra
Streisand with the composer himself at the piano. e song tells of
a land far away with golden temples and pretty people with shining
hair—who we are told “must die for peace.” e text concludes with
“But they’re so pretty, so pretty. / I don’t understand.”
¶
e song
is quintessential Bernstein, who has been described as a singular
genius who also understood that art is inherently political. Bern-
stein’s social convictions wove throughout his work like a leitmotif,
whether in the form of direct dissent as in “So Pretty” or as subtle
indictment of American culture found in another of his works per-
formed at Lyric that evening, the one-act opera
Trouble in Tahiti
.
COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (OPPOSITE PAGE)
RAVINIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 6 – AUGUST 19, 2018
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