Every wants love and be loved. Of all happiness and joys the greatest is to be comprehended and to be loved – truly, heartily, and sincerely. Being loved is having a person adore you, whose heart is beating for yourself. This person will be with you every day and love you with all his or her might. All Russian girls dream about this feeling. The famous musical “The Westside Story” is about such love – immortal, faithful, true.
Yes, today is the anniversary of the premiere of this musical on Broadway. More than 50 years ago with the eyes of Broadway spectators, debut of this American musical was held. The original Broadway musical opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 26, 1957. The interpretation of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, the musical of “West Side Story” tells about the love of two teenagers, Tony and Maria. Belonging to different ethnic and social groups, they take participation in one form or another in two rival street gangs. It takes place in New York in the mid-1950s, and this modern version of Romeo & Juliet still touches the hearts of its listeners and viewers. It is really breathtaking!
The main theme of The West Side Story, of course, is love – deep, passionate and immortal love. The feeling that fights loyalty, family, as well as class and ethnic group. The idea was brilliantly carried out by Stephen Sondheim, the lyricist, Leonard Bernstein, the composer, and Jerome Robbins, the choreographer. They stylized real life of the middle of 1950s through music and dance. The West Side Story is either a story about two young teens who fall in tragic passionate love or a story of social problems. The Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang, and the Jets, an American gang, rival over their rule on Upper West Side streets. When one can see this rivalry, it is clear why the love of Maria and Tony will never be possible in this society because of traditions and the difference between their cultural backgrounds. We know it perfectly. But we hope over and over again, endless repetitions. We might only dream on happy end. The spectators of the musical hoped so, and how else 732 performances at the Winter Garden Theatre and six Tony Awards can be explained? The phrases of the West Side Story became worldwide famous – remember “I feel pretty”? The musical film of 1961 starring Natalie Wood won 10 (of 11) Academy Awards. It seems, indeed, the only evidence to success.