Tales of Malamud

[2] The project was completed by American composer Leonard Lehrman and subsequently premiered in March 1977 in Bloomington, Indiana.

[2] The work began in the fall of 1962 after Blitzstein accepted a playwright-in-residence at Bennington College in Vermont.

[1] Inspired by his travels to Israel, Blitzstein was interested in bringing the Jewish experience to the operatic stage in-line with other projects at the time like the film Fiddler on the Roof.

On April 19, 1964, Leonard Bernstein had led an orchestra during a memorial concert to Blitzstein when he announced his plan to finish "Idiots First."

[1] Blitzen began with "Idiots First" in 1961, quickly finishing the draft by 1963 although continuing to edit until his death the following year.