Leonard Bernstein on the evolution of American musical theatre

KRON-TV news footage from July 6, 1971 featuring scenes from a press conference by composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, who is in San Francisco to promote opening night of his operetta Candide at the Curran Theatre, a musical version of Voltaire's novella. Bernstein argues that success: "Takes a certain amount of faith and belief in what you're doing. And not listening to people who say it'll never work commercially." He goes onto to reflect on his career since West Side Story and his dream that musical theatre on Broadway would gradually evolve - and even flourish - as a form of "American opera." He ends with a rueful admission that: "It hasn't happened!' Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

This 16mm color reversal film print was scanned in 4K (4096 x 2970) using a Lasergraphics ScanStation film scanner, in September 2023.