Fresh Air, Maurice Sendak and Patricia Clarkson

Artist, writer and designer Maurice Sendak and actress Patricia Clarkson on this edition of Fresh Air. Sendak's new book, Brundibar, is based on a Czech opera of the same name. It was set to music by Hans Krasa, who was imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camp Terezin and later killed in Auschwitz. The opera was performed 55 times by the children of Terezin. Sendak has also written and illustrated the classic children's books Where the Wild Things Are, In The Night Kitchen and Inside Over There. Where the Wild Things Are was adapted into an opera, and Sendak designed the sets and costumes for the premiere production. He's since designed several other operas and ballets. Last year, actress Patricia Clarkson played a supporting role in Todd Haynes' Far from Heaven. Currently she's starring in two films in theatres now: The Station Agent, for which she won the Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance at the Sundance Film Festival, and Pieces of April. Clarkson will be in the forthcoming films Miracle and Dogville. She won an Emmy for her guest-starring appearance as quirky Aunt Sarah in HBO's Six Feet Under. She has appeared in many other films. (Broadcast Date: October 30, 2003)