Setting the scene - It's 1983 and Sendak was at Harvard University for a student theater production of Really Rosie. He was speaking as a part of Harvard's Learning From Performers program, and fortunately for me, it was open to the public. The talk was at Eliot Library, and he spoke and answered questions for 2 hours, standing behind a wingback chair. The place was jam packed and there were people sitting on the floor and standing all along the walls and windows. As I had gotten there early, I was sitting in a nice comfy chair, about 10 feet away from Sendak. After a brief introduction and statement by Sendak, he took questions for nearly 2 hours.
Audio recording of Maurice Sendak at Harvard, 1983.
This was recorded on cassette tape so there are some skips and jumps, but the sound quality, at least of his voice, is surprisingly good. It is hard to hear most of the questions though.
The file should open up whatever sound player you have on your computer, or download it (beware the file is pretty big, nearly 28 mb). I've tried the file on a number of different computers and all seem to handle it fine. This is part 1, and it runs for about an hour. I do have part 2, but it may be awhile before I get to posting it, since that is still on cassette and I've been swamped recently.
I broke it down into selected highlights.
you can see below the fold...
all times are approximate -
0:00 - 11:00
Intro by Learning From Performers person
Sendak gives a brief statement, mostly about his move from print work
into theater work. At the time he was in the midst of doing sets and
costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet version of The Nutcracker.
11:00 - 16:45
Being a Children's book author, and what did you read as a child?
16:45 - 24:00
Origins of Outside Over There
His obsession with the Lindbergh Kidnapping case.
Being a sickly child
Askled if there is a formula for writing children's books
Asked how old he was when he learned to read
24:00 - 30:50
Asked about the origins of the Wild Things
and how New York has been an influence on his work
Very funny details of how his Jewish relatives inspired the Wild Things
Also asked why Wild Things was controversial
30:50 - 36:50
Do critics read into your books?
Do you like to read about artist's lives?
What do you think of Sesame Street?
What do you think of socially relevant books for kids?
What have been the hurdles of moving into theater?
36:50 - 42:30
Did you work to obtain a 'style'?
talks about how he doesn't like Arthur Rackham.
art and writing question
How do you fee about the impermanance of the theater compared to print?
42:30 - 48:00
Would you ever illustrate a Wagner opera?
How would you educate children?
What was your art education?
How did you develop your writing talent compared to drawing?
48:00 - 54:50
Relates the experience of photographing children for Outside Over There
Talks about seeing Really Rosie on stage with young adult actors
Asked about illustrating the book The Juniper Tree.
54:50 - 59:45
What is your working routine?
Talks about how his love for bad TV fits into the routine
Asked about the weston woods film of Wild Things
Asked why he thinks The Juniper Tree is such a good story?
So, that's the end of part 1.
On listening to it again, I realized how much of it is really funny. His more recent interviews and appearances have tended to be darker. I've seen Sendak in other personal appearances and events, but this is still my favorite. All the others have been larger and more formal, and therefore, less interesting.