I had the unforgettable experience of sitting two seats away from Stephen Sondheim at a long restaurant table that followed a Sondheim conversation event with theater critic Frank Rich in San Francisco many years ago. I was first in the Absinthe restaurant's dining room and just picked a seat. When Sondheim came in a few minutes later, he walked over to the table and just sat down. What was most remarkable after hearing all of his very interesting stories of writing and putting on a musical was the underlying fact that he was so charming and not at all unapproachable. This experience only further enhanced my already great admiration for this incredible genius of the musical theater.

To think that when this was made he hadn’t yet given us ‘Sweeney Todd’, ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ and ‘Into the Woods’.

Thank you very much, Damien. Finding this gem of a documentary helped me in my grief. Stephen Sondheim will always be with us through his incomparable musical legacy. Sleep in peace, Mr. Sondheim. Thank you for giving us joy by sharing your genius with us. We are forever grateful to you. We love you!

I fell in love with Sondheim with the song Children will listen ,and in my shows here in Argentina I allways sung his songs.,but unfortunately here people dont know english and never listened to his songs...but I kept on singing them ......so they could learn about his works.He is the greatest but I also loved the other song writers of the past.Thank you América for your music........👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

This is the Show and the cast that gave me the love of Sondheim. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I think of the five SONDHEIM musicals I have done in my career. What a gift to a performer that man has been. Thank you Mr Sondheim.

so much more that I never fathomed. He dies, and I immerse myself learning what we have lost. I am profoundly moved by what comes out of this engineer's head and poet's heart. He carries almost sacred part of the !st generation Jewish-American musicians, echoing the Shtetl and Yiddish theater. Foundational stuff which will carry on. Such beauty.

What a priviege to get to see Sondheim speak in the midst of his golden era. And a joy to hear Julia McKenzie sing her absolute heart out with total perfection. Happy 90th Birthday weekend to the true master!

I love the operatic question knowing this was two years before Sweeney Todd was premiered

Wonderful interview! Thanks and sleep a lifetime, dearest Stephen (ZT'l)

Julia McKenzie was the BOMB!! Excellent acting and singing. Her Sally in the full FOLLIES production was superb.

So beautiful So moving I can hardly hold back my tears We have all started the day this way If we are blessed Having to leave something so perfect A night of great fun One night of love

May he truly rest in the clouds. Ever writing and looking for past Angels in his realm of the afterlife. I mourn his passing. As do umpteen millions of fans.

Sondheim is so intelligent and eloquent. Not to mention handsome and hilarious. I wish I could see him on Password with Lee Remick and Peter Lawford. I've no doubt that he'd win in these kinds of game shows.

I began watching Previn at the Pittsburg as a teenager in the 70's, and was introduced to Stephen Sondheim by this episode. I have loved him ever since, and am heartbroken by his passing. RIP!

Once again...What a charming, honest, interesting and handsome man. Thanks for posting.

Can't thank you enough for making this available to us. Such a gem of an interview.

Couldn't believe what I found here😊😳👍. Thank you.

A documentary piece on Sondheim from before Sweeney Todd? So, so interesting and informative. I don’t hear him talk as much about some of his early shows anymore because they were somewhat eclipsed by his more famous mainstream masterpieces.

Fantastic to see this - thanks! Mr Sondheim as usual is eloquent and open about his craft, and Andre Previn is an unusually insightful host. Great to see one master musician interview another.

He may be the master of writing about ambivalence toward love, but who could ever achieve the sincerity he does in so few bars and with such spare lyrics in 'Loving You."?

Can we just commend - and miss - the beauty, grace and fluency of the late David Kernan's 'head' voice?

I saw Side by Side by Sondheim in London in 1976. Unforgettable songs, unforgettable performances.

Ah, David Kernan - such guts to record, in 1977, 'Could I Leave You'; for my money it's still the best recording of the song around (though Donna Murphy's live version is pretty damn good, too).

That music helps le facing that solitude actually helps in the finding of your own true self

So enjoyable! Two wonderfully talented and respectable artists.

Thanks for posting this, Damien! I tape-recorded it from TV as a teen and it was a touchstone for me for years--such a smart conversation, such well-spent time. (I remain awed by CINERAMA=AMERICAN.)

Thank you for the upload.👏

I just watched the 80th birthday celebration tape and worked my way backwards!!!

It is never too late!!!!

Company is my favorite show. It was the last Broadway show i saw with my mother in New York as her purse was robbed that day destroying her desire to return to New york

Love this! Side by Side was my introduction to Sondheim. How prescient Previn was. Pacific Overtures and then Sweeney were both performed in opera houses.

RIP

Fascinating interview, but might there be any chance of re-uploading in synch?

The person during the introduction never blinks. I know that is a weird thing to point out, but I couldn't help it.

18:30 Sondheim, my man, that's rude.

Love the Uptown-downtown song. What a find !!!!

Fabulous broadcast. Alas the sound quality of his upload is dreadful. Such a shame! Thanks for trying.

Can someone tell me the title of the opening and closing piece? I think I've heard it; and will probably be ashamed when it is revealed what it is and where it's from.