Hammerstein, Oscar, II

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US lyricist and librettist. He collaborated with Richard Rodgers over a period of 16 years on some of the best-known US musicals, including Oklahoma! (1943, Pulitzer Prize), Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949, Pulitzer Prize), The King and I (1951), and The Sound of Music (1959).

He was a grandson of the opera impresario Oscar Hammerstein (I) (1846–1919). He earned his first successes with Rose Marie (1924), with music by Rudolf Friml (1879–1972); Desert Song (1926), music by Sigmund Romberg (1887–1951); and Show Boat (1927), music by Jerome Kern. Show Boat represented a major step forward in integration of plot and character. After a period of moderate success in film music, he joined Rodgers and began their 16-year collaboration. His adaptation of Carmen as a musical (Carmen Jones) was premiered in 1943.

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