West Side Story became an ‘albatross’ around Leonard Bernstein’s neck – daughter

Leonard Bernstein (PA)

The daughter of composer Leonard Bernstein has said the musician never liked the 1961 film version of West Side Story and said the hit musical became “an albatross around his neck”.

The show, which was inspired by Romeo and Juliet and features warring gangs the Jets and the Sharks, has classic songs such as I Feel Pretty, Tonight and Somewhere, which were composed by Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.