It's Not All Song and Dance: A Life Behind the Scenes in the Performing Arts

by Maxim Gershunoff and Leon Van Dyke

Book Overview

(Limelight). Maxim Gershunoff is a natural storyteller so it makes sense that he would want to tell the story of his very full life in show business. Throughout this easy-to-read memoir, the author... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879103108
• ISBN13: 9780879103101
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Limelight Editions
• Length: 187 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.8" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A Masterful View of the Arts

Gershunoff is a keen observer of character and an excellent judge of artistic quality. This book describes the good, the bad and the ugly in artistic life. The author looks behind the headlines. He gives us a true sense of what it was like to live as a person and as an artist in various parts of the world during the period 1940-80. Because politics played a huge role in the arts (and still does, for that matter!), he has some not-so-flattering things to say about powerful politicians as well as about Isaac Stern and the extremely aggressive way in which he promoted some of his proteges who might not really have been ready for prime time. Stern's constant political machinations also cut into his practice time and affected his own performance quality. And who could ever forget the major hype surrounding the Panovs? Well, here's the real scoop. Want to know how Soviet artists lived during that period? Gershunoff can--and does--tell you, in painful detail. It wasn't pretty. This is a book for those who want to know the real, human stories behind the media hype that sometimes even masqueraded as "hard news." And a great read it is, too!

A great view from backstage

Very entertaining - shows a time (1940s - 1980s) when the classical performing arts were much more central in American culture. Lots of stories of Soviet-American cultural exchange during that period including not-so-flattering episodes with the artists. Great for anyone interested in the workings of the performing arts.