Bernstein eats Carreras for breakfast in West Side Story! (Reaction)

This famous documentary in which 'Maestro' Leonard Bernstein loses his patience with opera star José Carreras. It dates from nearly 40 years ago!

Anyway, whose idea was it to cast a Spanish opera singer in the lead role of West Side Story!!? Tony is an American, singing lyrics and music by Americans!! It’s a Broadway role…..…. full of linguistic idioms and rhythmic nuances. Poor Carreras is completely miscast and put through the wringer by Bernstein, even though it was he who approved the casting! Wonderful lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and great orchestral playing.

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[roakland]

I was a young violinist who played on those recording sessions back in the 80’s. It was clear to all of us from the beginning that Carreras had not come prepared for this. Not only were the rhythms sloppy but the text was not learned as well. The recording provides the drama of that but it lasted much longer. There was much editing (good editing), but the totality of that week long recording session was a wonderful experience for everyone (even the crusty older musicians) who had performed for Lenny many years before in the New York Philharmonic! It became one of the best experiences for me to this day. We knew Lenny’s proclivity for drama, but in these recordings you see the real sides of him reflecting on his writing from years before, the passion he injected to the music, and the guts of detail in the rehearsals. It all comes down to his commitment to a phrase he used “you gotta do your homework”.
I encourage all to watch the 1.5 hour you tube “The Making of West Side Story”

[stevouk]

Let's not forget that we are only reacting to this at all because it was captured on film (and this particular footage has been gone over time after time). What makes anyone think this doesn't happen in recording studios the world over, in every music genre, and has done since the beginning of modern music? Has anyone heard Toscanini's rehearsal recordings? Maria Callas was not exactly mild-mannered. Carlos Kleiber stormed off half-way through the recording of "Tristan and Isolde", never to return. I hear Barbara Hendricks was an absolute delight to work with... not. And on and on... it's probably more unusual to find a top-flight musician in any genre who has *not* behaved like this. A healthy respect is due to Carreras, Bernstein and all concerned, who had the honesty and intregrity to allow this to be broadcast.

[sandrak.robbins]

Oh my! This is cringe worthy! I felt it every time Bernstein chastised him. Yikes! Such patience and is class shown by Carreras. Thank you William :)

[jenspflug]

What's the use of this video? It has been around on the internet for ages. Bernstein was absolutely correct and Carreras wasn't able to sing it correctly rhythmically. End of story.

[lavenderbee]

I don't subscribe to being nice, it's got to be perfect. This is what genius and the process of excellence looks like, it's about long hours and hard hard work. You can't take it personally, Carreras undoubtably learned how to sing the uniquely American idiom at the end of day and was better off for the experience. People now days need to learn inner strength and resilience, because life isn't easy. The pursuit of perfection isn't easy. You have to look at the big picture.

[bobbieparker]

Going to see Jose Carreras has always been such a joy.I havent seen this for a few years.Yes Jose was miscast but i makes good viewing.Ive watched Maestro.

[donallynch]

SUPERB analysis - i love the way you dive right in but then pan back to the context and the casting and then to the characters of the two men. Incredible how Carreras and Rene Kollo - in another clip of the exasperated maestro - both manage to sing like angels despite the huge stress he's putting them under - such professionalism.

[CarrieSwanson-dt]

But dear Bangkok Voice Coach, Bernstein 'snapped' at his producer because he was defending Carreras---he didn't want the producer to 'correct' his accent over the microphone in front of everyone. Bernstein rightly assumes that is arrogant/jingoistic. His criticism of the singer's rhythmical struggles is also spot on---the singer doesn't get the syncopation. Sometimes performers have to sweat to make art.

[terrylg]

One of my favourite musicals of all time, that stands the test of time. Depressing this is nearly 40years old. I have the recording of this on cassette. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa a Kiwi playing a Hispanic. The music might be great but the word play of Stephen Sondheim is absolutely marvellous and witty. America and Gee Officer Krupke! a good example of that.
My sympathies lie with Jose Carreras, but maybe he should have turned the part down as being nonsensical.

[elisabetta]

Bernstein worked with the likes of Maria Callas, herself a soprano who'd often rehearse to the point of collapse. She wants did over a 150 takes for TWO NOTES until she, her conductor and her producer were satisfied. (Tosca, under de Sabata) So it's easy to see who Bernstein learned this from. Carreras has had the most beautiful tenor voice since di Stefano in the fifties, his early recordings under Karajan or the Lucia with Caballe are MELTINGLY beautiful. I never understood why they picked him OR te Kanawa for this though.

[simbahunter]

A small correction - Puerto Ricans are not immigrants to the US. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Puerto Ricans are American citizens at birth.

[rickardroach]

2:08 *an American of Polish and Irish descent

[robincosta]

Yeah...Bernstein goofed with the casting, he knew it and I think his venom was because he knew he screwed up. Unfortunately, Jose Carreras became the target. Lyrics just flow differently with an accent. But, kudos to Carreras...he got pretty close to perfect, imo.

[peggyuser-oqxzfgo]

Pretty interesting. Raeminds me of my highschool choir director.

[alenkasalej]

As literatura teacher and art enthusiast I understand this legendary artist (as also were Michelangelo, Händl, Tolstoy, Rodin and sooo many more) through Nietzsche's word "dionisic" people. In their search for perfect art (what that is: combo of dionisic and apolinic) they are hard to comprehend, but what they leave behind, is immortal. Sure: people around them - they all have hard times ...

[bmana]

It's an hour and a half documentary, and this is a relatively small, but poignant slice. Though it certainly does portray Bernstein at his most meticulous and demanding self. I recommend this documentary to anyone who saw Maestro and wanted to see more of the forceful genius of Bernstein in his element. Carreras is an amazing operatic tenor, who's certainly versatile, but his heavily accented Spanish and seeming discomfort with the musical theater genre made him less than optimal for this role. Though to Pepe's credit, he did improve his elocution throughout.

[jeffbetts]

Am I correct in saying Bernstein wanted Jerry Hadley but he was not available? He would have been great and saved we Carreras lovers a lot of angst.

[erpollock]

I saw this cringe-worthy film some years ago and boy did I feel bad for Jose Carreras! Carreras is a true artist, his voice is beautiful, and he keeps getting stopped and criticized by the Emperor. It was a major mistake by Bernstein to cast a Spanish tenor as an American head of the Jets. Total miscasting, and Carreras is being criticized for issues that were endemic to being Spanish and not American. Were there no American tenors who could sing this piece?

[sherylannejacobs]

Yes. I agree with everything you said. I had a great cousin who was LB 's age. He was lead cellist for the BSO and he knew LB. Never said much about him. Talented but seemed to be a troubled man.

[lucianopavarotti]

Rumour has it that Bernstein wasn't expecting Carreras. When casting he said something vague like "let's get the Spanish guy I saw in London" and the agents just assumed he meant Jose. So not a good start.