on Maurice Sendak

Join acclaimed author and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner for a conversation with Diana Seave Greenwald, organizing curator of Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet, as they explore the life and work of beloved author and illustrator Maurice Sendak.

Kushner and Sendak were longtime friends and creative collaborators who shared a profound appreciation for art, literature, and theater. In 2004, Kushner wrote and Sendak illustrated the award-winning children’s book Brundibar, adapted from a 1938 Czech opera for children. In this intimate discussion, Kushner will explore the artists that sparked Sendak’s iconic characters and his uniquely imaginative and playful approach to designs for opera and ballet.

Just added! Gregory Maguire, author of the best-selling "Wicked" and founder of Children’s Literature New England, will offer a special welcome at this event. "[Sendak] is a muse to three generations of artists," said Maguire recently, "not only to children's book artists... but, yes, especially to us."

Join us after the discussion for a book signing. Copies of Brundibar and The Art of Maurice Sendak by Tony Kushner will be available for purchase at Gift at the Gardner.

Please note: Proof of vaccination status and face masks are required for programs in Calderwood Hall.