MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) - photo by Steve Sherman

Leonard Bernstein is my favourite composer/conductor. I just love his music!

West Side Story is an absolute masterpiece.

Candide - a comic operette based on Voltaire's satire by the same title - is my favoutrite though! It opened at the Martin Beck Theater on Broadway on December 1, 1956 (after try outs in Boston and New Haven Connecticut). The Finale is the very best!!! "Make Our Garden Grow".

Here's the lyrics:

CANDIDE

You've been a fool

And so have I,

But come and be my wife.

And let us try,

Before we die,

To make some sense of life.

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good

We'll do the best we know.

We'll build our house and chop our wood

And make our garden grow...

And make our garden grow.

CUNEGONDE

I thought the world

Was sugar cake

For so our master said.

But, now I'll teach

My hands to bake

Our loaf of daily bread.

CANDIDE & CUNEGONDE

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good

We'll do the best we know.

We'll build our house and chop our wood

And make our garden grow...

And make our garden grow.

CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE, MAXIMILLIAN, PAQUETTE, OLD LADY, DR. PANGLOSS

Let dreamers dream

What worlds they please

Those Edens can't be found.

The sweetest flowers,

The fairest trees

Are grown in solid ground.

ENSEMBLE (a cappella)

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good

We'll do the best we know.

We'll build our house and chop our wood

And make our garden grow.

And make our garden grow!

(The cow dies)

VOLTAIRE

Ah, me! The pox!

See & Hear it? Click here. A recording of a concert, conducted by the maestro himself in London, December 13, 1989 (3:37 minutes !!!!!)

Enjoy,

HK