Lake Thun Festival – "West Side Story"

As part of the Lake Thun Festival in summer 2008, the well-known musical "West Side Story", whose music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, will be performed on the floating stage. UBS is one of the main sponsors of the latest production.

"West Side Story" synopsis

In New York’s West Side, two teenage gangs are at war with each other – the Jets from New York and the Sharks from Puerto Rico. At a dance in the neighborhood, the American Tony meets Maria, from Puerto Rico, and falls in love with her. A first meeting between the two on the fire escape of Maria’s apartment is disrupted by her parents. They both agree to meet the next day at Maria’s work. While the Sharks are split on whether they want to return to Puerto Rico or continue trying their luck in America, the Jets are planning a fight with the opposing gang.

The next day Tony and Maria meet in the bridal shop where Maria works and they dream of their wedding together. Tony promises Maria that he will stop the fight that has been arranged between the gangs. However, by intervening, he only manages to get his best friend Riff killed by Maria's brother Bernardo. Beside himself with rage, Tony stabs Bernardo to death and has to flee. Meanwhile Maria is happily waiting for her beloved when she receives news that Tony has killed her brother. Nevertheless, she stands by Tony and when he arrives shortly after, the two dream of a peaceful world in which they could live together.

Maria confesses her love for Tony to her sister-in-law Anita and begs her to get a message to Tony. However, Anita only succeeds in running into the Jets, who proceed to abuse her. Inflamed with rage, she then announces that her fiancé Chino has killed Maria. When Tony hears this, he numbly stumbles through the streets. He finds Maria and believes she is dead, but he is then shot by Chino. Stooped over the body of her true love, Maria demands the warring gangs make peace.

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