Did leonard bernsteins wife know he was gay

As a composer, he redefined the sound of Americana, with orchestral works such as his Candide Overture , and Mass still being heard in the concert hall today. Bernstein achieved an impressive array of distinctions during his career, including 16 Grammy Awards, seven Emmys, two Tonys and a Kennedy Center Honour.

He was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and originally named Louis Bernstein, at the insistence of his grandparents. Scholars seem to agree that while Bernstein did marry a woman, he was a gay man as opposed to theories that he was bisexual. His wife had died 12 years prior of lung cancer, and the composer was buried next to her in a plot at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Leonard Bernstein’s Children Say His Wife “Knew Exactly What the Deal Was” With His Bisexuality Hollywood Reporter November 14, Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre's children Nina Maria Felicia Bernstein, Jamie Bernstein and Alexander Bernstein sat down with 'Maestro' writer-director Bradley Cooper to discuss the upcoming film.

Bernstein went on to study at two institutes renowned for their music programmes. See more Leonard Bernstein features. The conductor died of a heart attack in his New York home, which was brought on by Mesothelioma, a relatively rare type of cancer. The conductor is also credited with bringing the music of Gustav Mahler into the mainstream.

As well as being known as an acclaimed conductor and celebrated composer, Bernstein was also a superb pianist. Candide Overture: Leonard Bernstein conducting. Bernstein reportedly consulted Aaron Copland about how to live as an openly gay man; the Appalachian Spring composer was one of few American musicians to do so at the time.

But who was the legendary conductor-composer and why did his career change the face of American classical music forever? Bernstein was the son of Jewish parents who immigrated to the US from Rivne, a city now located in western Ukraine. Leonard Bernstein features See more Leonard Bernstein features.

He passed away five days after this announcement. Bernstein announced that he would retire from conducting in at the age of 72 years old. Read more: 10 best pieces of music by Leonard Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre's children open up about 'Maestro,' how their mom knew about their dad's bisexuality and how it affected her.

Listen to this article Loading audio Watch the teaser for Maestro. He recorded all of the symphonies twice in what would be termed the Bernstein-Mahler cycle, and conducted all of the works in concert too. While it is unclear if Bernstein had perfect pitch , he did have a well-documented ability to identify intervals and work out melodies aurally.

Who was Leonard Bernstein? But who was the man behind the music? He is also hailed as the first great American conductor; notably, he was the first American to conduct at La Scala and to lead a major US symphony orchestra — in his case, the New York Philharmonic.

Leonard Bernstein is known for being one of the most important figures in the history of American classical music. See more Best classical music. Felicia and Bernstein had three children together, Jamie, Alexander and Nina. Bernstein wed Montealegre (played in the film by Carey Mulligan) in , but according to their kids she did not go into the marriage under any illusions about her husband's sexuality.

His musical, West Side Story , is performed around the world, with notable productions on Broadway and in the West End decades later. Discover Music. The musical also inspired two films, released in both the 20th and 21st centuries. It’s no surprise that Bernstein remained silent on the subject of his sexuality in letters to Koussevitzky – until, that is, he proudly announced his first engagement to Felicia in December , suggesting a picture of his sexuality that was at best incomplete.

He then studied piano further at Curtis, where he learned under Isabelle Vengerova, a Russian-turned-American pianist who helped found the institute some 20 years earlier. Born in , Bernstein was an acclaimed conductor, composer and pianist, who earned a remarkable 16 Grammy Awards throughout his career.