Here's something you might be interested in.
I was reminded today of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. This piece is an operetta or light opera and had its premiere in 1956. It was not received well. The libretto was reworked in 1974 and that is the version most often performed.
The music in Candide might be better than anything else Bernstein wrote. The story is a bit convoluted but it works. It should be noted that Voltaire wrote Candide as a response to Leibniz’s theory of “the best of all possible worlds”.
With that in mind, Bernstein’s Candide is the best of all possible adaptations of a philosophical response. However, if Philip Glass ever sets Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason we could all be in for a treat.
For those not familiar with Kant or Philip Glass, should you ever need to fall asleep, listen to Glass or read Kant.
The story of Candide has had more success once the philosophy was stripped off. Forrest Gump is basically the story of Candide and Cunegonde. Gump is the simplistic Candide and Jenny is the unfaithful Cunegonde .
That last bit about Forrest Gump is original material. If you’re at a boring party and say something such as, “Well, you know, Forrest Gump is merely an adaptation of Voltaire’s Candide,” you best be citing your source. I’m kidding you can use it but if this were 1994 I’d be pissed.
Regarding Bernstein, it is my opinion that the finale number Let our Garden Grow sets it above and far beyond Tom Hanks and his box of chocolates.
Here’s the text:
CANDIDE You've been a fool and so have I, But come and be my wife, And let us try before we die To make some sense of life. We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow. CUNEGONDE I thought the world was sugarcake, For so our master said; But now I'll teach my hands to bake Our loaf of daily bread.
CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow.
CUNEGONDE, OLD LADY, PAQUETTE, CANDIDE, GOVERNOR, MAXIMILIAN, PANGLOSS Let dreamers dream what worlds they please; Those Edens can't be found. The sweetest flowers, the fairest trees Are grown in solid ground.
CUNEGONDE, OLD LADY, PAQUETTE, CANDIDE, GOVERNOR, MAXIMILIAN, PANGLOSS, CHORUS We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow.
PANGLOSS Any questions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6fBki8Y5GU&feature=related
I was reminded today of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. This piece is an operetta or light opera and had its premiere in 1956. It was not received well. The libretto was reworked in 1974 and that is the version most often performed.
The music in Candide might be better than anything else Bernstein wrote. The story is a bit convoluted but it works. It should be noted that Voltaire wrote Candide as a response to Leibniz’s theory of “the best of all possible worlds”.
With that in mind, Bernstein’s Candide is the best of all possible adaptations of a philosophical response. However, if Philip Glass ever sets Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason we could all be in for a treat.
For those not familiar with Kant or Philip Glass, should you ever need to fall asleep, listen to Glass or read Kant.
The story of Candide has had more success once the philosophy was stripped off. Forrest Gump is basically the story of Candide and Cunegonde. Gump is the simplistic Candide and Jenny is the unfaithful Cunegonde .
That last bit about Forrest Gump is original material. If you’re at a boring party and say something such as, “Well, you know, Forrest Gump is merely an adaptation of Voltaire’s Candide,” you best be citing your source. I’m kidding you can use it but if this were 1994 I’d be pissed.
Regarding Bernstein, it is my opinion that the finale number Let our Garden Grow sets it above and far beyond Tom Hanks and his box of chocolates.
Here’s the text:
CANDIDE You've been a fool and so have I, But come and be my wife, And let us try before we die To make some sense of life. We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow. CUNEGONDE I thought the world was sugarcake, For so our master said; But now I'll teach my hands to bake Our loaf of daily bread.
CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow.
CUNEGONDE, OLD LADY, PAQUETTE, CANDIDE, GOVERNOR, MAXIMILIAN, PANGLOSS Let dreamers dream what worlds they please; Those Edens can't be found. The sweetest flowers, the fairest trees Are grown in solid ground.
CUNEGONDE, OLD LADY, PAQUETTE, CANDIDE, GOVERNOR, MAXIMILIAN, PANGLOSS, CHORUS We're neither pure nor wise nor good; We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house, and chop our wood, And make our garden grow.
PANGLOSS Any questions?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6fBki8Y5GU&feature=related