Bernstein, however, was so excited about this idea that he convinced Hellman to do it as a 'comic operetta' she then wrote the original libretto for the operetta. It is very popular among major music schools as a student show because of the quality of its music and the opportunities it offers to student singers. Although unsuccessful at its premiere, Candide has now overcome the unenthusiastic reaction of early audiences and critics and achieved enormous popularity. Other contributors to the text were, and Bernstein himself. The operetta was first performed in 1956 with a by but since 1974 it has been generally performed with a book by which is more faithful to Voltaire's novel.

Candide is an with music composed by, based on the 1759.