Monsieur Chopin
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Felder
Photo by John Zich
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By Joseph N. Feinstein
In one of the finest plays this season, the consummate artist, Hershey Felder, takes us with him for a musical lesson by the great Fryderyk Chopin. Together, we shall listen to his polonaises, mazurkas, etudes, waltzes, and dirges while the life of this musical genius unfolds in two hours. It's called Monsieur Chopin and is playing at the Geffen Playhouse until August 26.
Felder recently portrayed George Gershwin to sold-out audiences. This offering is the second in the "Composer Trilogy," with Beethoven arriving shortly. It's both Felder's love for music and artistic awareness that makes these shows so very viable, meaningful, and significant to the audience. It helps us realize his dedication with each spoken word and musical note offered during the presentation.
As with the Gershwin program, the show is directed by Joel Zwick, who, together with lighting designer, Richard Norwood, helps create the necessary movement and atmosphere such a piece requires. Make no mistake: with all the help provided, this is Mr.. Felder's show as he ambles toward the stage, walking down the theater aisle. Dressed in the wealthy Parisian style of the mid-nineteenth century, affecting a distinct Polish accent, we are reminded that our assemblage in the theater is to receive a musical lesson by Mr. Chopin. That we are there as students and that our teacher loves to teach becomes the sine qua non of the enjoyment we are to feel for the next two hours.
As we are led firmly, but gently, the subtle hues of Mr. Norwood's designs bathe us in warm yellows, greens, blues, pinks, and reds and help tell the story of Chopin's joys, sorrows, frustrations, and passions during his very brief, thirty-nine years of life. You will meet such people as the pompous Liszt and the author George Sand, his lover and partner for ten years. You will travel with Chopin from Poland to France and Majorca to Austria. You will delight in his passionate virtuosity when he plays "Juvenile Polonaise," the "Romanza," the "Prelude in F Sharp Minor," and his famous "Polonaise in A Flat Major," among others. You will observe him washing his hands four times, for this is very important to him: clean hands and proper dress are essential to playing. Afterward, Chopin will tell the audience they have inspired him to create a new piece, and he will sit down at the piano to play it for them.,DD.
You will see Chopin's rage, his sublime joy, his passion, but you will not see him crying, for "I do not cry." Felder invades the soul of this great artist as he does give us, the audience, an insight and understanding into this great composer's life and causes us to leap to our feet, shouting "Bravo" as the curtain falls.
As a post-script, Felder, for his encore, takes questions from the audience about Chopin's life. When he is asked about Gershwin, staying in character, he exclaims, "Who? Who is this Gershwin?" Combining superb musical talent, creative acting skills, and consummate knowledge of his subject, Monsieur Chopin, Hershey Felder, takes us on an inspired voyage we shall not soon forget.
Monsieur Chopin Geffen Playhouse 10886 Le Conte Avenue Los Angeles 90024 Tel. 310-208-5454
Tuesday - Thursday @ &;30 p.m.; Friday @ 8:00 p.m.; Saturday @ 4:00 & 8:30 p.m.; Sunday @ 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $15 - $69
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