1st-Of-Its-Kind Leonard Bernstein Exhibit Coming To Ohio Museum

BEACHWOOD, OH — The first large-scale museum exhibit dedicated to the life of famed conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein will be hosted at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in September. More than 100 artifacts and photographs from and of Bernstein will be part of the exhibition.

The exhibit, Leonard Bernstein: The Power of Music, was created by the National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) and its run will coincide with Bernstein's 100th birthday. Bernstein, famous for his contribution to many musicals, including West Side Story (1957), used his art to express the anxieties and fears of American Jews living through World War II, the Holocaust, the Vietnam War and other turbulent social events.

“Leonard Bernstein is remembered as a passionate, larger-than-life personality — a charismatic conductor, devoted educator, and skilled musician," Ivy Weingram, who curated Leonard Bernstein: The Power of Music for NMAJH said.

The exhibit will include Bernstein's piano, an annotated copy of "Romeo and Juliet" used in the development of "West Side Story," the program for his Carnegie Hall debut, his conducting suit, his easel used for studying scores and more. Many of the artifacts have never before been displayed in public.

There will also be several multimedia stations where museum guests can interact with one of Bernstein's scores. Guests will be able to see how he integrated different strands of music into his compositions.

"This exhibition will delve into his memorable works while also exploring a lesser known side of Bernstein—the second-generation American Jew who inspired social progress, both on and off the stage. As our nation continues to confront issues of race, religion, and what it means to be an ‘American’, Bernstein’s music takes on new, personal meanings for every audience that experiences it," Weingram added.

The exhibit will open to the public September 25. Opening week will feature discounted admission of $5 for guests.

The Bernstein exhibit will be on display through March 1, 2020.

For more information on the Maltz Museum and its upcoming Bernstein exhibit, visit the museum's website.