Who was William Finn? The Legendary musician who dies at 73

Lyricist and composer William Finn passed away at 73 due to pulmonary fibrosis.
Born in 1952 in Boston, Finn had a passion for theater and wrote his first play as a Hebrew school project.
He is known for his three musicals: “In Trousers”, “March of the Falsettos”, and “Falsettoland”.

In tragic news today, lyricist and composer William Finn passed away at the age of 73 on Monday, April 7, 2025. According to a report, his longtime partner, Arthur Salvador, stated that Finn died due to pulmonary fibrosis.

The late artist inspired people with his complex yet clever lyrics and his unique exploration of characters. Born in 1952 in Boston, Finn had a deep passion for theater. In a conversation with “Tablet”, he revealed that he wrote his first play as a Hebrew school project.

Finn revealed that he had no idea what it was like, adding, “It was horrible, I guarantee it. I couldn’t write plays, and I couldn’t speak Hebrew, so how good could it be?”

Finn was widely known for writing three prominent musicals—“In Trousers”, “March of the Falsettos”, and “Falsettoland”—which featured a character named Marvin. Marvin leaves his spouse for a man but later reconciles with his family and sexuality. Playwrights Horizons performed all three musicals.

Later, “March of the Falsettos” and “Falsettoland” were combined into one project and staged on Broadway in 1992. The show won two Tony Awards—Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, which Finn co-wrote with James Lapine.

Throughout his inspirational career, Finn also received recognition for other works such as “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, “A New Brain”, and a musical adaptation of the “Little Miss Sunshine” film.

The late artist is survived by his partner, Salvador; his sister, Nancy Davis; his brother, Michael; as well as his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.