Late Life

Aronson went on to work on Broadway for the rest of his life. He was multi-talented and was considered a “rare breed” when it came to the totality of design. Many productions have individual roles in design that relate to costume, lighting, stage, etc. Aronson, being the genius he is, created all the designs for a majority of the productions he worked on. He designed thirty-seven plays and musicals from 1934 to 1952. This is an astonishing accomplishment considering the amount of time and effort that goes into creating one facet of the play, let alone all of them. He won his first Tony Award for his scenic designs of The Rose Tattoo, The Country Girl, and Season in the Sun. However, he gained more fame from his work on Kurt Weill’s Love Life, which is considered by many to be the first concept musical.¹⁵

Aronson’s design for The Rose Tattoo in 1952

In 1945, Boris married his assistant of two years, Lisa Jalwetz in New York City. They worked together for the remainder of Boris’s life.

Boris and wife, Lisa, working on designs during the 1950s.

Apart from his six Tony wins, Boris also claimed the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design three times for his work on Zorba (1969), Company (1970) and Follies (1971). It is needless to say that Boris is considered one of the greatest minds in the history of American theatre.

Apart from Broadway, Aronson worked for the Metropolitan Opera and various ballet companies throughout his career. His most famous work is on the Mikhail Baryshnikov’s 1977 production of The Nutcracker, which aired on CBS during the Christmas season. ¹⁶ Scenic design was Boris’s master craft, but he was also a renowned painter and sculptor throughout his life; his work was often displayed at many exhibits and museums.

Boris Aronson in the 1970s.

In 1980, Boris Aronson passed away while a member of the New York Theatre and Art Community, and was consistently active until his death. Fittingly, Boris was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1979; he was able to receive this distinguished honor in-person.

Notes:

¹⁵ Concept Musical is where the show’s metaphor is more important than the narrative.

 ¹⁶ Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948 – present) is a famous Russian born American dancer, and actor. He has been nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.