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American Masters

Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note

  • Episode aired Oct 28, 1998
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
128
YOUR RATING
S13.E1
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  • E1
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Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
  • Documentary
  • Biography
  • Music
Add a plot in your language
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
128
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Susan Lacy
  • Writer
    • Susan Lacy
  • Stars
    • Alexander Bernstein
    • Jamie Bernstein
    • Leonard Bernstein(archive footage)
  • Director
    • Susan Lacy
  • Writer
    • Susan Lacy
  • Stars
    • Alexander Bernstein
    • Jamie Bernstein
    • Leonard Bernstein(archive footage)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations total

    Photos7

    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)
    Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alexander Bernstein
    Jamie Bernstein
    • Selfas Self
    Leonard Bernstein
    Leonard Bernstein
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Nina Bernstein
    • Selfas Self
    John Corigliano
    • Selfas Self
    Jon Deak
    • Selfas Self
    Stanley Drucker
    • Selfas Self
    Martha Gellhorn
    Martha Gellhorn
    • Selfas Self
    John Guare
    John Guare
    • Selfas Self
    Jerry Hadley
    • Selfas Self
    Harry J. Kraut
    • Selfas Self
    • (as Harry Kraut)
    Arthur Laurents
    Arthur Laurents
    • Selfas Self
    John Mauceri
    • Selfas Self
    Seiji Ozawa
    • Selfas Self
    André Previn
    André Previn
    • Selfas Self
    Edward Seckerson
    • Selfas Self
    Isaac Stern
    • Selfas Self
    Michael Wager
    • Selfas Self
    • Director
      • Susan Lacy
    • Writer
      • Susan Lacy
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

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    • new york city
    • manhattan new york city
    • opera
    • 1980s
    • conductor
    • 9 more
    • Add full plot
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • Biography
      • Music
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Features On the Town (1949)

    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    The unvarnished Lenny
    This documentary begins with the funeral cortège to Brooklyn's Green Wood cemetery from the Dakota Apartments on 72nd Street Manhattan, where Bernstein lived, and then goes through his life chronologically, more or less.

    As Mr. Bernstein's life was extremely eventful, there is a lot of life to get through, from his childhood in Lawrence, Massachusetts (He was born in 1918. His parents' unstable marriage is well-documented in his early mini-opera "Trouble in Tahiti".) to his death in 1990, presumably from a heart attack. A major highlight of his career was his last-minute substitution for Bruno Walter at a New York Philharmonic concert in 1943 which turned him into a major celebrity.

    The Broadway shows of course are given their due, especially "West Side Story" but, rather like Sir Arthur Sullivan in England, he wanted to be remembered for his serious compositions and that wish was not granted; this was a source of great unhappiness for Bernstein.

    He married early on and had three children who all comment in this documentary but his homosexuality was an open secret throughout his life. He was never able to reconcile these two parts of his life, let alone his compositional and conducting careers.

    This documentary does a good job of showing his many facets as well as his personality traits and blemishes and there are many comments by friends and colleagues. Overall a good and even-handed job of showing the life of this important musical figure of the twentieth century.
    helpful•4
    0
    • standardmetal
    • Sep 7, 2006

    Details

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    • Release date
      • October 28, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Leonard Bernstein - Piase ti nota
    • Production companies
      • 1515 Productions Limited
      • American Masters Pictures
      • American Masters
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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