BERNSTEIN TAKES CENTER STAGE
REVIEW: MAESTRO
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
The name Leonard Bernstein may not be a household name today, but 40 years ago it was acclaimed and known worldwide. Bernstein was a true Renaissance man as an accomplished conductor, pianist, author, educator, librettist, television star, and the composer of symphonies, iconic film scores and American musical classics. Bernstein taught America about classical music in his fifty-three televised Young People’s Concerts for CBS. Imagine that—classical music programming on local television! Today, he’s best known for the brilliant masterwork recordings he left behind and his most notorious musical West Side Story.
Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in MAESTRO. Photo courtesy of Hershey Felder Presents.
In Maestro A Play with Music, Hershey Felder puts Bernstein’s life front and center taking audiences from his early childhood years up to his final performance at Tanglewood on August 19, 1990. Felder does more than provide a cursory chronological summary of Bernstein’s life. Rather, he transforms himself into this great legend offering audiences a glimpse into the joys and struggles he faced as a composer, conductor and person. It’s no easy task impersonating the great Leonard Bernstein, yet Felder is able to not only impersonate him, but to also interpret Bernstein’s life in a way that is compelling and profound. What’s more, Felder takes on brief characterizations of other conductors such as Walter Damrosch, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Fritz Reiner (described “with the permanent expression of a man who had sex once and didn’t like it”), and Bernstein’s mentor—the famous Serge Koussevitzky.
Throughout the play, Felder sings and brilliantly plays the piano. He performs both music that was written by Bernstein and music that Bernstein held in the highest regard written by composers such Aaron Copeland, Beethoven and Brahms. Although there are many performances throughout the play, Maestro does not give the sense of a remembrance concert—Felder’s chosen the music wisely and each one serves the tale at hand. Among the Bernstein pieces performed are the well known “Somewhere”, “Maria” (West Side Story), “Carried Away” (On the Town), “A Little Bit in Love” (Wonderful Town) and those that are less familiar: Piano Sonata, “I Hate Music” and Lamentations (Symphony No. 1 Jeremiah).
Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in MAESTRO. Photo courtesy of Hershey Felder Presents.
Director Joel Zwick brings out all the details in Felder’s performance from his movement on stage to the conception of the design for the play. Upon Felder’s entrance with a glass—which one can only assume is scotch—and a cigarette, we slowly begin to accept his impersonation of Bernstein. By the end of the play when Felder sits at the piano, looks at the audience, extends his hand in a conductor’s gesture then cuts off the music as the lights fade to black, the audience is left enthralled. Although Bernstein was an extraordinary man, in Maestro we learn about the relationship with his father and thus we see him at his most vulnerable state, reminding us that the desire to please our parents is universal.
If you think you know Leonard Bernstein, or even if you don’t know him at all, Felder’s Maestro will fascinate you—it’s more than a portrayal, it’s a story about a man who’s greatest love was music and how he gave everything for that love.
Maestro runs from August 10 to August 28, 2016 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Performances are available on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Evenings at 8 pm, Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm; Sundays at 2pm and 7pm. For more information and ticket visit: TheWallis.org.
