Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

April 30, 1924 in Chicago, IL

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Sheldon Harnick is a renowned American composer and lyricist who has made significant contributions to the world of musical theater. Born on April 30, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois, Harnick grew up in a family that valued music and the arts. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist, and they encouraged their son's interest in music from an early age. Harnick began studying music at the age of six, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already composing his own songs. He attended the Northwestern University School of Music, where he studied composition and piano. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. Harnick's first big break came in 1954 when he was asked to write the lyrics for a musical called "The Body Beautiful." The show was not a commercial success, but it gave Harnick the opportunity to work with composer Jerry Bock, with whom he would go on to collaborate on some of his most famous works. In 1959, Harnick and Bock wrote the music and lyrics for "Fiorello!," a musical about the life of New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. The show was a critical and commercial success, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and several Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The score included such memorable songs as "When Did I Fall in Love?," "Til Tomorrow," and "Little Tin Box." Harnick and Bock's next collaboration was "She Loves Me," a romantic comedy set in a Budapest perfume shop. The show opened on Broadway in 1963 and received rave reviews, but it struggled at the box office and closed after only nine months. Despite its short run, "She Loves Me" has become a beloved classic, thanks in part to its charming score, which includes such songs as "Vanilla Ice Cream," "Tonight at Eight," and "Will He Like Me?" In 1964, Harnick and Bock wrote the music and lyrics for "Fiddler on the Roof," a musical based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem. The show tells the story of Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman in pre-revolutionary Russia, and his struggles to maintain his traditions and provide for his family in the face of changing times. "Fiddler on the Roof" was a massive hit, running for over 3,000 performances on Broadway and winning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The score includes such iconic songs as "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "Sunrise, Sunset," and "If I Were a Rich Man." Harnick and Bock continued to collaborate throughout the 1960s and 1970s, writing such shows as "The Apple Tree," "The Rothschilds," and "The Madwoman of Central Park West." In the 1980s, Harnick began working with other composers, including Michel Legrand, Richard Rodgers, and Joe Raposo. Harnick's later works include "A Wonderful Life," a musical adaptation of the classic film, and "Dragons," a children's musical about a young girl who befriends a dragon. He has also written several operas, including "Coyote Tales" and "The Phantom Tollbooth." Throughout his career, Harnick has been recognized for his contributions to the world of musical theater. He has won three Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and a Grammy Award, among other honors. In 2016, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Tony Award. Harnick's music and lyrics are known for their wit, charm, and emotional depth. His songs have become part of the American musical theater canon, and his influence can be seen in the work of countless composers and lyricists who have followed in his footsteps.

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