Maria (West Side Story song) tritone in the main theme. The song is an example of the use of Lydian mode, which is the same as the major scale but with a raised 4th, giving the tritone characteristic of this piece. It was also sampled in the song Almost Like Praying by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Maria (West Side Story song) "Maria" is a song from the Broadway musical "West Side Story", sung by the lead character Tony. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The song was published in 1956. "Maria" is sung by the male lead Tony when he learns
Stephen Sondheim With Stephen Sondheim" (which sold out in three minutes) was hosted by the Academy for New Musical Theatre in Hollywood. An avid fan of games, in 1968 and 1969 Sondheim published a series of cryptic crossword puzzles in "New York" magazine. In 1987 "Time" called his love of puzzlemaking "legendary in theater circles," adding that the central character of Anthony Shaffer's play "Sleuth" was inspired by the composer. According to a rumor (denied by Shaffer in a March 10, 1996 "New York Times" interview), "Sleuth" had the working title "Who's Afraid of Stephen Sondheim?" His love of puzzles and mysteries