Candide (operetta)

Candide is a comic operetta by Leonard Bernstein, based on the novella of the same name by Voltaire. It has existed in many versions but is now generally performed with a book by Hugh Wheeler. The primary lyricist was Richard Wilbur. Other contributors to the text were John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, Stephen Sondheim, and Leonard Bernstein. Hershy Kay and John Mauceri contributed orchestrations.

Notable Songs

• "Best of All Possible Worlds" (ensemble)
• Duet: "O Happy We" (Candide and Cunegonde)
• Song: "It must be so" (Candide)
• Aria: "Glitter and Be Gay" (Cunegonde) (Thought to be one of the most difficult soprano arias in the Musical Theater repetiore)
• Duet: "You were dead, you know" (Candide and Cunegonde)
• Tango: "I am easily assimilated" (Old Lady)
• Waltz: "What's the use?" (various)
• Finale: "Make Our Garden Grow" (ensemble)