Leonard Bernstein Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Voltaire's 18th century satirical novella takes the central character through a tumultuous series of adventures in a parody of the classic adventure-romance plot, all testing the philosophy of optimism he's been taught. Leonard Bernstein's 20th century musical had its own calamitous episodes and multiple revisions but survives in the repertoire to this day. Presented by Elric Hooper and Des Wilson (RNZ).