Maestro NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (69)
See it if You admire the talent of Leonard Bernstein and want to learn about his life.
Don't see it if You don't care for one man shows and aren't really interested in the lives of famous people.
See it if Masterful performance by Hershey Felder, who channels Leonard Bernstein in an intense, absorbing one man show. Exquisite piano playing.
Don't see it if A unique biographical piece, this show is often dark. You learn about Bernstein the man, but also about his key musical influences. Read more
See it if You love anything and everything about Leonard Bernstein ! You would enjoy a trip down the special memory lane that is Bernstein !
Don't see it if You don't enjoy one person shows. You are looking for a show with a plot. Bernstein is just a name to you. This is a love letter to his fans
See it if You want to learn something about a historical legend and see a masterclass in solo performance.
Don't see it if You require big song and dance spectacles to be entertained (this one-man show is all about intimacy and storytelling).
See it if You'd like to learn more about Lenny or want a nostalgia infusion, if you'd like to hear about the composers, conductors who influenced him
Don't see it if If you aren't interested in classical music or in the life of a tortured genius presented with gusto bordering on indulgence. Read more
See it if you want to know more about Bernstein. Engaging performance holds interest throughout. Heavy on early life, could have more on later years.
Don't see it if you are not interested in classical music. Don't like one-man shows.
See it if One man show about the life of Leonard Bernstein written and performed brilliantly by Hershey Feldman. Absolutely fascinating.
Don't see it if If you know nothing and care nothing about Bernstein.
See it if you are interested in a well staged and acted story of Leonard Bernstein, including some of his music.
Don't see it if Leonard Berstein does not interest you and you would not enjoy a musicians' life story or music.
Critic Reviews (27)
"A delight…It is such a rare opportunity to see the combination of great acting, singing, conducting, and piano performance…It is an inspiring tale, coming from a playwright who deeply understands the soul of music, and not just its tuneful melodies. Felder is clearly someone who truly loves music and is able to capture, in words and stories, the transcending, life-changing qualities of great music from our past masters…This is a fascinating play, a must-see even if you are a beginner to music."
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"I wondered who to admire more – the subject of this bio-play or the remarkable artist who wrote and performed it...With skill and care, Felder has compressed Bernstein’s moving life story into an exhilarating show...What makes Maestro soar is the sublime music...Watching Hershey Felder’s charismatic, passionate, transforming performance, one senses there is a lot of 'Lenny' in Hershey."
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“Hershey Felder’s stunning tribute to the life and work of Leonard Bernstein is a work brimming with affection and respect…Mr. Felder bristles with energy as he darts from chair to Steinway grand piano sharing Bernstein’s life and legacy with an impassioned commitment to transparency and authenticity…Kudos to Hershey Felder and director Joel Zwick for creating and presenting a memorable and bittersweet bio-play of one of America’s greatest talents."
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“Putting a life so densely packed with creative activity into such a brief span is sure to make Bernstein addicts squirm at what’s been left out or to grimace at how different from Bernstein Felder looks, sounds, and behaves (one barely smoked cigarette at the start and that’s it); even then, they may feel, with many others, the need to stand and yell ‘Bravo’ when the show draws to its close and the full impact of Felder’s tour de force presentation is absorbed.”
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"Felder is a wonderful pianist with a virtuosity that is thrillingly played with subtle nuances. As a writer, he brings a deep knowledge of music history, so that by the end, we feel as if we know who Leonard Bernstein the man was. He sings the pieces with passion and flair...Director Joel Zwick adds a darker side, which is forceful and very much like the man himself. This man was arrogant, brilliant, conflicted and highly complex. Mr Felder manages to bring all that plus compassion."
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"Felder’s approach to his life is mainly chronological and gamely attempts to cover many aspects: conductor, educator, social activist, bisexual and flawed husband. The early scenes with his father, speaking with a heavy Yiddish accent, were embarrassingly stereotypical...The musical clips were frustratingly brief...There was a brief moment near the end, in which Bernstein lashes out at the world, that gave me a sense of how much more powerful the piece could have been."
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"Beautifully written…Though serious musicians are likely to garner somewhat more from the piece, it’s as entertaining as it is intermittently scholarly and most definitely a character portrait...It could successfully be 10-15 minutes shorter in music, but the libretto is terrific and the show holds…Felder is appreciative and sympathetic but not, mercifully, starry-eyed; a fine pianist, a fair singer, a splendid writer and a fully invested performer…Director Joel Zwick does a virtuoso job."
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"Felder doesn’t need more than a piano, a chair, lighting, a few slides and the excellent direction of Joel Zwick to work his magic...Despite his oversize ego, Bernstein is always human and often funny. Felder makes Bernstein a fine mimic. And his Yiddish accent is impeccable. However, even without the outstanding writing and acting, the opportunity to hear Felder play not only Bernstein, but also Gershwin, Copland, Wagner and many others is a sheer pleasure."
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