Famed violinist Midori founded the organization Midori & Friends in 1992 to provide tuition-free music programs to NYC students. For the group's fifth anniversary, Sendak collaborated with composer Pierre Jalbert on a new work titled Were You There When the Sugar Beets Got Married?, which Midori premiered at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall for the anniversary concert on 8 May 1997. The motif of a Wild Thing playing the 'cello was earlier used by Sendak for a 1988 American Express campaign, and was returned to by Sendak for the production artwork accompanying his collaboration with Midori and her foundation.

Christie's is grateful to Midori and to Shirley Kirshbaum for their recollections of this drawing.