Synopses & Reviews
The first in-depth biography of the celebrated composer/lyricist who created Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles
(tagline for catalogue)
This revealing and comprehensive book tells the full story of Jerry Herman's life and career, from his early work in cabaret to his recent compositions for stage, screen, and television.
Stephen Citron draws on extensive open-ended interviews with Jerry Herman as well as with scores of his theatrical colleagues, collaborators, and close friends. The resulting book--which sheds new light on each of Herman's musicals and their scores--abounds in fascinating anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details about the world of musical theater. Readers will find a sharply drawn portrait of Herman's private life and his creative talents. Citron's insights into Herman's music and lyrics, including voluminous examples from each of his musicals, are as instructive as they are edifying and entertaining.
Review
"This is an extraordinary and invaluable work about the extraordinary and invaluable talent Jerry Herman. Any lover of the musical theatre should be grateful to add it to their library. I know I am."and#8212;Fred Ebb, Lyricist
Review
and#8220;Should be required reading for anyone who has ever enjoyed a comic lyric or a brassy piece of melody from Hello, Dolly!, Mame or La Cage aux Folles. Itand#8217;s a splendid biography, festooned with a generous analysis of his libretto and compositions. Hermanand#8217;s imperishable spirit is all here in this personal, sharp-as-tacks portrait of a composer-lyricist whose heartand#8212;and archiveand#8212;seems to have been an open book.and#8221;and#8212;Randy Gener,
American TheatreSynopsis
This revealing and comprehensive book tells the full story of Jerry Hermanand#8217;s life and career, from his early work in cabaret to his recent compositions for stage, screen, and television.
Stephen Citron draws on extensive open-ended interviews with Jerry Herman as well as with scores of his theatrical colleagues, collaborators, and close friends. The resulting bookand#151;which sheds new light on each of Hermanand#8217;s musicals and their scoresand#151;abounds in fascinating anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details about the world of musical theater. Readers will find a sharply drawn portrait of Hermanand#8217;s private life and his creative talents. Citronand#8217;s insights into Hermanand#8217;s music and lyrics, including voluminous examples from each of his musicals, are as instructive as they are edifying and entertaining.
Synopsis
The first in-depth biography of the celebrated composer/lyricist who created Hello, Dolly , Mame, and La Cage aux Folles
This revealing and comprehensive book tells the full story of Jerry Herman's life and career, from his early work in cabaret to his recent compositions for stage, screen, and television.
Stephen Citron draws on extensive open-ended interviews with Jerry Herman as well as with scores of his theatrical colleagues, collaborators, and close friends. The resulting book--which sheds new light on each of Herman's musicals and their scores--abounds in fascinating anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details about the world of musical theater. Readers will find a sharply drawn portrait of Herman's private life and his creative talents. Citron's insights into Herman's music and lyrics, including voluminous examples from each of his musicals, are as instructive as they are edifying and entertaining.
Synopsis
The memoirs of Ernest Forssgren (1894-1970), the young Swede who served as Marcel Proust's last valet, provide new insights into Proust's life and death. Previously, Forssgren's memoir has been published only in excerpts, in French, with serious omissions and alterations.
This book presents the complete text of the memoir, with an introduction and helpful annotations by the distinguished Proust scholar William C. Carter. Also included here is other new material: the inscriptions that Proust wrote for Forssgren's copy of "Swann's Way;" an important telegram that Proust sent Forssgren, which defines with greater precision the novelist's activities in the final months of his life; Forssgren's "Summary" of the first English biography of Proust, by George D. Painter, which provides many new details about Proust's last trip to Cabourg in 1914 and his attempts at seducing young men of the servant class; and the notes that Forssgren made in his copy of Painter's biography.
About the Author
Stephen Citron is well known for shedding fresh light on the American musical theater and the artists who inhabit it. His previous books include Songwriting, The Musical from the Inside Out, and biographies of Noand#235;l Coward, Cole Porter, Alan Jay Lerner, Oscar Hammerstein 2nd, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.