Art Isn’t Easy: revealing Stephen Sondheim through his music

Stephen Sondheim was the high priest of the modern musical, and almost five years on from his death, Daniel Okrent’s new biography Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn't Easy reveals probably more than the intensely private Sondheim would have liked. From the anger of Sweeney Todd, the struggle of the artist in Sunday in the Park with George, and the loneliness of Passion, his music reveals him even more than Daniel’s many interviews with his contemporaries ever could.

Into the Woods, Sondheim’s fairytale-bending masterpiece, is being staged by Opera Queensland, and director Patrick Nolan joins Andy to talk about why Sondheim is one of the only music theatre composers regularly programmed by opera companies.

Opera Queensland's Into the Woods is staged at QPAC 11-21 November.

Music heard in the show:

Title: Comedy Tonight

Artist: Zero Mostel

Composer: Sondheim, Stephen

Album: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Original Broadway Cast)

Label: Capitol Records

Title: Prologue; Into the Woods

Artist: Tom Aldredge and Original Broadway Cast

Composer: Sondheim, Stephen