BWW Review: Hershey Felder in MAESTRO: LEONARD BERNSTEIN

Hershey Felder in Maestro: Leonard Bernstein

Music and Lyrics by Leonard Bernstein & Others, Book by Hershey Felder, Directed by Joel Zwick; Scenic Design/Lighting Design/Projection Design, François-Pierre Couture; Projection Design, Andrew Wilder; Sound Design, Erik Carstensen; Lighting Director/Assistant Lighting Design, Margaret Hartmann; Production Manager/Technical Director, Matt Marsden; Production Stage Manager, Nate Genung; Production Consultant, Jeffrey Kallberg, Ph.D.

Featuring: Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein

Performances through May 20 by ArtsEmerson at the Paramount Center Mainstage, 559 Washington Street, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-824-8400 or www.artsemerson.org

Imagine if the singular accomplishment of your life was having been the composer of West Side Story; now imagine feeling dissatisfied with that and you know something about the enigma of Leonard Bernstein. Hershey Felder delves into the man behind the music, examining the musical and personal influences that shaped the great American composer/conductor, and brings him to life for one final concert at the Paramount Center Mainstage in Maestro: Leonard Bernstein.    

In his original play with music, Felder does not impersonate; rather, he projects the persona of Bernstein with the deep resonance of his voice and by showing the passion, persistence, intelligence, and curiosity of his subject. Most of all, Felder transports us into Bernstein’s music, whether he is conducting orchestral recordings or seated at the grand piano, lovingly stroking the keys like a sculptor molding his clay. The musical selections begin and end with West Side Story, and feature songs from his other Broadway shows (On the Town, Candide), but provide a good balance with his classical, albeit lesser known, compositions.

Felder’s book covers the arc of Bernstein’s life, from his origins as the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants in Lawrence, Massachusetts, through his education at the prestigious Boston Latin School and Harvard University, his professional development studying conducting at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and his fruitful association with Conductor Serge Koussevitzky at the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer institute at Tanglewood. Great emphasis is placed on the influence of the latter as a father figure to Bernstein, mentoring him with his emotional way of interpreting music, as well as the friendship he shared with composer Aaron Copland.    

Although he aspired to be “the next great American composer,” Bernstein achieved phenomenal success as a conductor, starting with his debut at sudden notice when he led the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in place of the ailing Bruno Walter on November 14, 1943, a concert that gave him instant fame due to its national radio broadcast. Guest appearances in front of other national and international orchestras followed, and he was named music director of the NY Philharmonic in 1957. During this period Bernstein began a series of Young People’s Concerts for CBS television, an influential series of music appreciation programs that arguably designated him as the world’s music teacher.

Bernstein’s personal and professional lives were fully-lived and rich with experiences from which Felder has culled a variety of vignettes to share. He does not avoid the man’s foibles and flaws, using them to advantage in exploring his motivations. As illustrated in the stories of many men, Bernstein’s father played a role in his desire to prove himself. His sexual tendencies affected his lifelong pursuit of love, in his relationships and in his music. Felder briefly portrays family members and other significant people to suggest conversations they might have had, all in the service of presenting a nuanced portrait.

From producing and starring in family holiday pageants as a child, to avid member of Broadway Across America and Show of the Month Club, Nancy has cultivated her love of the art and respect for the craft of theatre. She fulfilled a dream when she became an adult-onset tap dancer in the early 90's ("Gotta dance!"); she fulfills another by providing reviews for BroadwayWorld.com and evolving as a freelance writer. Nancy is an alumna of Syracuse University and a retired Probation Officer-in-Charge in the Massachusetts Trial Court system.

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