Blitzstein, << BLIHTS styn, >> Marc (1905-1964), was an American composer noted for his satirical, socio-political works for the stage. He gained fame with The Cradle Will Rock (1937), a musical play attacking capitalism and social injustice. Blitzstein’s other well-known work is the opera Regina (1949), a realistic piece based on Lillian Hellman’s play The Little Foxes. In Regina, Blitzstein used jazz, blues, and spirituals to heighten the dramatic effect. He translated and adapted from German into English the Kurt Weill-Bertolt Brecht musical play The Threepenny Opera. The adaptation opened in New York City in 1954, where it ran for almost seven years. He also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Juno (1959).
Blitzstein died on Jan. 22, 1964, before completing Sacco and Vanzetti, an opera the Metropolitan Opera had commissioned. Blitzstein was born on March 2, 1905, in Philadelphia.
