Musical is actually Bernstein’s greatest and more than constant passions. But his like lives try a significant part from his create-right up, and his characters allow us to means a larger image of an emotional lives which was laden with twists and you may turns – neatly sum: “Obviously, he had been at ease with are sexual in a number of implies and you will yet , he wanted a traditional lives, which have a spouse and you may children so you’re able to whom he was loyal. He was a complex, cutting-edge people, and you may state-of-the-art Belgaum female dating men and women have state-of-the-art individual life.” 1 Interesting given that letters come from people (always men) having which Bernstein had dating inside 1940s, You will find chose as an alternative to target Bernstein’s very own emotions to their sexuality, as well as effects for their profession. From inside the correspondence which have Copland and David Oppenheim particularly, and in specific letters so you can their sis Shirley and to Diamond, the guy examines their sexual label, usually discussing a state from dilemma and you can interior argument. For the one-hand, his records inculcated antique thinking and you will relationships – sooner or later relationship; on the other side, his preferences on the 1940s had been usually for males. After their college or university degree had been more than, he began something out of notice-exploration into psychoanalyst he known as “Frau” – Marketa Morris. Even as we can see off their characters, the guy common an equivalent specialist that have Oppenheim (with exactly who Bernstein got a virtually, certainly close relationship in early 1940s; its relationship try lifelong).
Once an unstable initiate (mainly due to Bernstein’s 1st habit of regard marriage since a good brand of try), the relationship from Leonard and Felicia blossomed – including once Jamie, the initial of the college students, grew up in 1952
It’s no wonder that Bernstein remained hushed on the subject of their sexuality when you look at the emails in order to Koussevitzky – up until, which is, the guy proudly announced his first involvement to Felicia when you look at the December 1946, recommending an image of his sexuality which was at the best incomplete. Bernstein themselves are anxious one their sex life have an effective destroying influence on his a job prospects, fearing he could have difficulty looking for a career since the good conductor whether or not it became known he is actually gay.
It’s value pausing for a moment to look at the newest social and you will societal perspective you to offered Bernstein such as anxiety about exactly how anybody else you are going to look at their sexuality. Of numerous American psychoanalysts from the 1930s and you may 1940s thought homosexuality to become a mental disease which could address “treatment”. The study from the Alfred Kinsey while some had written from inside the 1948 since the Sexual Decisions throughout the Human Male (the original “Kinsey Statement”) made an effort to codify quantities of homosexual, heterosexual, and you can asexual conclusion within the dudes toward “Kinsey Level”, planning to demonstrate that men failed to go with neat and private categories. 2
There is certainly a beneficial predictably unlawful response to Kinsey’s results: and others, J. Edgar Vacuum, movie director of FBI, is actually small in order to denounce brand new results throughout the users away from Reader’s Digest: “Man’s sense of decency declares what’s normal and what’s perhaps not. Once the Western some one, more youthful otherwise dated, reach believe that there is no instance thing due to the fact right or incorrect, regular otherwise irregular, those who carry out destroy culture often applaud a major profit more than the living.” step three This means that, homosexuality, for example communism, is “Un-American”. A couple of years later on, during the ed Senate Committee into Costs from the Executive Divisions approved a summary of brand new “Work out of Homosexuals or other Sex Perverts when you look at the Bodies,” coming to hair-elevating achievement you to definitely “homosexuals or any other sex perverts aren’t best persons to-be involved in Regulators for a few factors; very first, they are usually the incorrect, and you can 2nd, they make-up coverage dangers.” 4
Bernstein wasn’t, of course, seeking to a career from the authorities, but he craved allowed. There can be absolutely nothing good evidence to point you to conductors just weren’t designated to particular ranking because of their homosexuality about 1940s and you will 1950s, no matter if Dimitri Mitropoulos appear to thought he had been victimized. However, several of the most highly regarded rates regarding the arts were homosexuals, perhaps not least Aaron Copland, who had, by the mid-1940s, end up being the preferred and unique voice inside the Western ancient music. Bernstein, although not, aspired is the songs movie director regarding a primary Western band and considered– rightly otherwise incorrectly – which he had a need to have indicated he had been a traditional, antique members of the family people. Even after Bernstein’s regular protestations that he craved more private lives regarding an author (in which his sexuality lack become a challenge), he might never let go regarding performing since the an essential part out-of his community.
Just what he don’t need to bother about normally is actually the fresh you can impact their sexuality might have to the his relationships – at least notably less far because their chose mate, Felicia Montealegre, is actually concerned. She understood exactly what she is committing by herself so you’re able to: shortly after they married, she blogged: “you are a good homosexual and you can willing to take on you since you are, without having to be a good martyr or compromising me on the L.B. altar (Letter 320).”
A particularly vibrant child, it’s obvious from Bernstein’s letters home simply how much he enjoyed their. A comparable love stands out as a result of from inside the Bernstein’s statements into the all the his children (Jamie, Alexander, and Nina); with his pure commitment so you can Felicia is actually noticeable in lots of letters from the early 1950s till the middle-1970s. It was a relationship which had their rugged times, but only with the drama out of 1976 and their “demo break up” did it jeopardize to-fall apart. At the end of his lifestyle, Bernstein joked so you’re able to Jonathan Cott you to “you want love, which is the reason why You will find ten thousand romantic family members which is unfair to them because I can not promote any one of all of them everything”. 5 However for 25 % away from a beneficial century, Felicia was brand new exclusion: she was unquestionably ideal passion for their existence.
step 1. Dougary, Ginny (2010): “Leonard Bernstein: Magnetic, Conceited – and you will an excellent Father,” The changing times (London), thirteen March. On the internet version at the , utilized .
Martin (1948): Sexual Decisions on the Individual Men
4. It statement is reprinted in Foster, Thomas A beneficial., ed. (2013): Recording Romantic Matters: Prierica. Chicago: University from Chicago Push, pp. 144–7. According to an article notice (p. 144): “Even more homosexuals than just communists had been discharged from federal operate within period [the brand new 1950s].”
Throughout the Leonard Bernstein Letters by Leonard Bernstein, edited because of the Nigel Simeone. Authored by Yale University Press during the 2014. Reproduced with consent.
Nigel Simeone is well known due to the fact a writer and you may audio speaker on the songs that’s mcdougal of a lot books plus Leonard Bernstein: Western Side Facts. He lives in Northamptonshire, Uk.