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Monsieur Chopin
The Music of Frederic Chopin
Book by Hershey Felder
Directed by Joel Zwick
At the Royal George Theatre
1641 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL
Call 312-988-9000, tickets $45
Tuesdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time 1 hr, 40 with no intermission
Through December 18, 2005
From Monsieur Chopin:
“4 March, 1848
9 Square d’Orleans, Paris
Your Piano lessons Begins On Time”
Hershey Felder spent years playing Gershwin in his fabulous one man show, George Gershwin Alone. One could hardly imagine him as anyone else. But long blond hair, an 1820’s waste coat, sporting a Polish accent on an elegant set complete with see-thru drapery, a fireplace and mantle with a beautiful light brown grand piano as Felder becomes the famed Frederic Chopin. This is, indeed, a play and a piano recital that exposes Chopin’s romantic mastery of the piano to mainstream audiences. I learned much about Chopin, his life, his music and his process for creativity.
What Hershey Felder accomplishes here is to make Chopin appealing to a wider audience that the normal classical music crowd. He does so by giving personality and humanity to the genius composer/pianist. We hear his story; feel is pain at the loss of his sister and his yearning for political stability in his Polish homeland Using the motif of a piano lesson (Chopin was a master piano instructor), Felder takes us to Paris just after the 1848 revolution for a lesson in piano composition. Throughout the show, Chopin reveals secrets about himself, his creative process and the important people in his life. From his family left behind in Poland to motherly relationship with French novelist, George Sand, we get a glimpse into Chopin’s moodiness, his estrangement from society and his lifelong poor health. Felder become the Polish genius with his acting and, of course, his magnificent piano work. Chopin was famous as both an innovative composer and as an accomplished pianist. Felder deftly reveals his talent as he effortlessly performs Chopin’s works with skill and enormous respect.
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It was Felder’s piano work that captivated me. I am largely ignorant of Chopin’s music until Felder marvelously reintroduced me to the richness of Chopin’s rhythms, changes of tempi and moods while he masters the simple melodies and innovative subtle harmony of Chopin’s pieces. Felder and Chopin speak to us through the hauntingly originality of his romantic and sentimental style right to our souls. I learned that during his many recitals and salon performances, Chopin employed improvisation to instantly create terrific melody and rich harmony. Later he was desperate to recreate these works on paper.
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Chopin’s originality in exploiting the piano as the main force of his composition drove him to use the piano as his main mode of expression. Felder gives life to the Polish genius’ work. The lesson sure worked on me as I heard one genius’ work played by another. Felder will expose Chopin to another generation, and like he did for Gershwin, Felder will make Chopin fashionable in the 21st Century. It is so refreshing to see a performer command the stage, his material and an audience as smoothly, sincerely and effectively as Hershey Felder does.
Believe it or not, there is a ‘salon’ sing-along after the show led by Felder. Yes, there are some 20th Century lyrics to Chopin melodies. You’ll have to attend to find out. Audiences seemed to love this touch. Interesting!
Not to Be Missed
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Chicago Stage Talk Radio Show
This show eligible for a C.S.T. Equity Theatre Award
October 14, 2005
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