Who composed the musical score for the musical West Side Story?

Leonard Bernstein composed the musical score for West Side Story.

The musical transplants the basic conflict of Romeo and Juliet to 1950s New York City, where rival street gangs replace Verona’s feuding households. Bernstein wrote the music, while Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics. The book was created by Arthur Laurents, and Jerome Robbins originated the choreography and directed the stage production.

Songs such as “Maria,” “Tonight,” “Somewhere,” and “America” helped make the musical a major work of American musical theatre. Its combination of classical influence, jazz, Latin rhythms, and dance-driven storytelling distinguished it from many earlier Broadway shows.

A common mistake is to name Sondheim as the composer because he is strongly associated with the musical. Sondheim was the lyricist. Bernstein supplied the music, making the score his contribution to this modern Romeo and Juliet adaptation.