Sondheim on Sondheim Symphonic Version is an intimate portrait of the famed songwriter in his own words... and music. Revised and re-arranged from the stellar Broadway production to suit the needs of orchestras and symphonies, audiences get an inside look at the personal life and artistic process of famed composer, Stephen Sondheim.

Ranging from the beloved to the obscure, the carefully selected songs sung by eight prinicpal vocalists hang from a framework of in-depth video interviews, delving into Sondheim's personal life and artistic process.  

This past summer, this brand new symphonic version of the 2010 Tony nominated Broadway musical was premiered by two renowned orchestras, The Boston Pops and The LA Philharmonic.

The symphonic version of the show will soon be made availble for licensing by MTI and in anticipation we wanted to share the buzz behind this modern-day masterpiece.  

The Boston Pops

The Boston Pops performs Sondheim on Sondheim Symphonic Version at Boston Symphony Hall (© BroadwayWorld).

The first production of Sondheim on Sondheim Symphonic Version was performed by The Boston Pops at Boston Symphony Hall and at Tanglewood Music Hall a week later - both conducted by Keith Lockart and featuring brilliant direction by Sarna Lapine, with music direction by David Loud. Read what Everything Sondheim had to say about the Tanglewood event.

The LA Philharmonic

Gustavo Dudamel leads an all star cast of Sondheim on Sondheim Symphonic Version at the Hollywood Bowl ( © Matthew Imaging / LA Philharmonic).

A star-studded performance at The Hollywood Bowl soon followed conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and starring Vanessa Williams, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jonathan Groff, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Philip Boykin, Lewis Cleale, Carmen Cusack, Claybourne Elder, Ruthie Ann Miles and Solea Pfeiffer.  The LA Times caught up with Stephen Sondheim before the performance for an in-depth interview where he shared his enthusiasm for the piece, “The whole thing that makes it exciting for me is the orchestra aspect," he explains. "New York theaters were not built for large orchestras, back in the early 20th century. The orchestrator has to be able to fit the instruments into the budget but also fit the bodies into the pit. To have not only a first-rate orchestra but a large orchestra — that’s very thrilling for a composer, particularly a composer of theater songs."  Read the full article here.  

A review of the production, also written by The LA Times, can be found here.

Watch Highlights of the Original Broadway Production of Sondheim on Sondheim