Maestro
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Cititour.com Review
In this theatrical era, it’s not uncommon for a so-called bioplay (or biomusical) to have the depth of a Wikipedia entry. Sadly, “Maestro,” the Ensemble for the Romantic Century’s ultimately ill-conceived peek into the life of the great conductor Arturo Toscanini, now at the Duke on the 42nd Street, turns out to not even qualify for that description.
Instead, playwright Eve Wolf (the company’s artistic director) attempts to a satisfy us with just a handful of supposed letters or telegrams sent from Toscanini to his married lover Ada over the course of 15 years, and almost all of which focus almost exclusively on his hatred of fascism in his native Italy, Germany and around the world. Admittedly, they’re spoken with conviction and passion by stage and screen star John Noble (who is not entirely convincing in his movements as a conductor), but the one-note tone of these missives quickly feels tedious.
Moreover, when in one letter, Toscanini reveals an amusing anecdote about his father – and ultimately his own conception – you wonder why Wolf thought we wouldn’t want to know much more his personal life. After all, Toscanini lived until he was nearly 90, had numerous musical accomplishments, and knew many people, important and otherwise. (Indeed, his wife is mentioned only briefly, and his children are never mentioned.) Unquestionably, his hatred of dictators was a large factor in his life, but it shouldn’t be his defining characteristic.
If, from the above paragraphs, you’re expecting to “Maestro” to last a mere 90 minutes; think again. The bulk of “Maestro,” which runs over two hours, consists of live performances of classical music; pieces as famous as Wagner’s “Liebestod” and as little-known as Fano’s “Quintet in C major for piano and strings” are played onstage by six young, very talented musicians (pianist Zhenni Li, violinists Mari Lee and Henry Wang, viola player Matthew Cohen, cellist Ari Evan and trumpeter Maximillian Morell).
Occasionally, Wolf connects the proverbial dots, with something written in one of the letters, referencing these pieces; other times, one likely has no idea what piece of music is being performed or its connection to the play’s central character. In addition, there are snippets of a recording of Verdi’s “Aida” that were recorded during Toscanini’s tenure as the conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra. (The performance was actually shown live on TV in 1949!) Admittedly, true lovers of classical music (which I admit I’m not) may find all of these nonverbal interludes to be worth the price of admission, but audience members who have come to see a play are likely to feel shortchanged.
Moreover, as attractive as these six musicians are, they’re not quite enough visual stimulation for most of us. Smartly, Wolf and director Donald T. Sanders (whose staging is fairly rudimentary) understand this dilemma. Most of the time, we’re allowed to focus on the fantastic projections of David Bengali, which includes evocative photographs, paintings, and most importantly, actual newsreel footage, which not only complement the music but augment the play’s narrative (along with much-needed surtitles). Even if you’ve seen it before, the footage of the Nazi rally held in Madison Square Garden in 1939 is positively chilling; while you might want to stand up and cheer when you see FDR announce the American armistice with Italy.
Honestly, I wish I could wax rhapsodic about “Maestro,” but I left the theater feeling a little bit blue about what seems like a wasted opportunity.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
https://tickets.dukeon42.org
Cast
Starring John Noble, Mari Lee, Henry Wang, Matthew Cohen, Ari Evan, Zhenni Li, and Maximilian Morel
Open/Close Dates
Opening 1/3/2019
Closing 2/9/2019
Theatre Info
The Duke on 42nd Street
229 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
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