The Gran Teatre del Liceu closes the season with Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story in a symphonic version conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The voices of Nadine Sierra and Juan Diego Flórez bring the protagonists of this Broadway classic to life. The main cast is completed by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as Anita, baritone Jarrett Ott as Riff, and baritone Milan Perišic in the role of Bernardo.
The Gran Teatre del Liceu presents West Side Story in a symphonic version, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and featuring a stellar cast. With two concerts on July 29 and 31, the Theatre closes the season with a grand celebration. Soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Juan Diego Flórez step into the roles of Maria and Tony to thrill the audience with one of the most iconic love stories in musical theatre.
An exceptional cast under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel
The final event of the season at the Gran Teatre del Liceu features a star-studded cast, led by the voices of American soprano Nadine Sierra and Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez, two of the most beloved and acclaimed performers by Liceu audiences. Flórez and Sierra will take on the roles of one of Broadway’s most iconic couples, Maria and Tony. The leading voices are joined by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as Anita, Maria’s friend and confidante; baritone Jarrett Ott as Riff, leader of the Jets; and baritone Milan Perišic as Bernardo, head of the Sharks and Maria’s brother.
The rest of the cast includes top-tier voices: Cristofol Romaguera (Baby John); Pau Camero (A-Rab); Montserrat Seró (Rosalia); Laura Brasó (Francisca); Tanit Bono (Consuelo); Dimitar Darlev (Diesel).
They will all be accompanied by the Orquestra Simfònica of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, under the baton of Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. An iconic score, full of dramatic tension and lyricism, portraying the emotions of a young couple caught in an impossible relationship, doomed by the conflict between their respective clans — reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
West Side Story, a classic that revolutionized musical theatre
Despite the initial reservations that West Side Story provoked —even within the theatre community— during its Broadway premiere in 1957, time has established this title as one of the undisputed landmarks in musical theatre history. West Side Story opened the door to an evolution of the genre, modernizing and enriching it by incorporating sounds and rhythms never before heard on stage.
Leonard Bernstein brilliantly created a score in service of a story that actually originated from an idea by choreographer and dancer Jerome Robbins: to transfer the impossible love story of Romeo and Juliet to the present-day “west side” of New York. Arthur Laurents adapted the Shakespearean plot to the reality of the youth gangs of the time and added immigration as a key element of the conflict. The lyrics, filled with equal parts wit and poetry, were written by a young Stephen Sondheim, marking his professional debut on Broadway.
For the first time, a Broadway score was designed to be largely danced to, quickly becoming a reference for creators who followed.
Its 1961 film adaptation by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise turned it into a global phenomenon, and the 2021 remake directed by Steven Spielberg —with Gustavo Dudamel as orchestral conductor— has reaffirmed its relevance and its ability to connect with new audiences.
What is being presented now at the Gran Teatre del Liceu is the symphonic version that Leonard Bernstein arranged nearly 30 years after the original premiere and that was recorded in 1984 as a more personal and definitive interpretation by the composer. Bernstein fully reoriented this version towards the symphonic language, with expanded lyricism and orchestral power that enhance its harmonic sophistication, rhythmic subtlety, and dramatic energy.
Bernstein himself made it clear: West Side Story could —and should be— claimed as a symphonic masterpiece, on par with the classical repertoire. This mature and nostalgic view of a work that marked a generation also reflects a vital synthesis between the composer’s personal experience and his desire to transcend the boundaries between what is considered “serious” and “popular” music.
West Side Story is today an undisputed classic, studied in conservatories and drama schools worldwide, and regularly programmed in major theatres. Its combination of Shakespearean tragedy, social critique, and stage energy continues to captivate audiences seven decades after its premiere.
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