Leonard Gregory Kastle was a renowned opera composer, librettist, and director, best recognized for his work on the film "The Honeymoon Killers," which showcased his meticulous research skills. Born on February 11, 1929, Kastle pursued his musical education at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied under the guidance of opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti, and later at the Juilliard School.
As an adjunct member of the SUNY Albany music faculty, Kastle's compositions often reflected his affinity for the Romantic style, which he believed was undervalued by the music academy. His favorite composer was Gustav Mahler, whom he admired for his innovative approach to music despite facing disrespect during his own time.
Kastle's oeuvre includes a diverse range of works, such as the opera "Deseret" (1961),which he directed for the NBC Opera Theatre, and the thirteen-minute "made-to-measure" opera "The Swing" (1956),commissioned by and broadcast on NBC television. He also wrote "The Pariahs," a trilogy of operas about the Shakers titled "The Passion of Mother Ann: A Sacred Festival Play," a children's opera called "Professor Lookalike and the Children," a piano concerto, sonatas for piano and violin, and three unproduced screenplays: "Wedding at Cana," "Change of Heart," and "Shakespeare's Dog."
In a 2003 interview with the Criterion Collection, Kastle revealed that no producer was interested in his screenplay "Wedding at Cana," which they perceived as another "Honeymoon Killers." After the release of "The Honeymoon Killers" on Criterion, Kastle returned to teaching and composing, only to be rediscovered by a new generation of cult film enthusiasts. He occasionally attended film-related events, such as the Ed Wood Film Festival in 2007, where he served as a judge on the panel.
