How Leonard Bernstein used the music of the Selichot service to create West Side Story
Thursday, September 3, 2026
7:00PM - 9:00PM
In creating West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein transformed Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s story about chance and fate into a story about choice and T’shuvah.
In this 90 minute presentation, Cantor Sayres will show you how Leonard Bernstein used the musical modes of the Selichot service (part of the High Holiday liturgy) to not only write the music but also to infuse the score with Jewish concepts of S’lichot and T’shuvah, forgiveness and return (repentance).