Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts

Founding

The Festival of the Creative Arts at Brandeis was founded in 1952 by the legendary American composer and Brandeis faculty member Leonard Bernstein. It was dedicated to the belief that "the art of an era is a reflection of the society in which it is produced, and through creative endeavors the thoughts and expression which characterize each generation are revealed and transformed."

That historic event included the premieres of Mr. Bernstein's opera "Trouble In Tahiti" and Marc Blitzstein's translation of "The Threepenny Opera" performed by Lotte Lenya. The festival offered dance performances by Merce Cunningham, music by Aaron Copland and Miles Davis, poetry readings by William Carlos Williams, and symposia on the state of the arts.

• View the original 1952 festival program (PDF). (Accessible version also available.)

• Read "The Creative Arts at Brandeis" (PDF) by Karen Klein, from the 50th Anniversary Issue of the Brandeis Review.