David Stewart, on his recent Candide experience:

>Anyway I presume the whole thing was an exercise in irony was it not?

Yup.  You got it.  IMO.

>If so, Bernstein was very successful.  Does anyone actually find it funny?
>or just wierd?

I find Candide excruciatingly funny.  The original Voltaire is short and
very much worth reading.  The whole thing is ludicrous and delightful.  I
only wish I had as good an idea for an operatic treatise.  (James Branch
Cabell's "Jurgen", anybody? My best idea to date...)

Bob K, In the Best of All Possible Jobs