Composer, Instructor and Pianist

Monsieur Chopin, A Play with Music

It’s Paris, March 4, 1848, and class is in session. Sit comfortably and get ready for your masterclass music lesson provided by a gifted composer, instructor and piano virtuoso. For the next two hours, Frederic Chopin will offer a fascinating education in the creation and performance of his own classical music. However, lest you think that this class might be boring and too scholarly for the average audience member to appreciate, nothing could be further from what you’re about to experience.

Filled with a melange of captivating comedy as well as moments of passionate pathos, the Maestro gently weaves his way into the hearts of the audience, his students, even providing time for questions. Explaining his improvisational style for creating music, Chopin details the highlights of his short life, while dazzling the audience with the master’s profound and affecting piano compositions. Get ready, because this music lesson overflows with heart. 

But, of course, our instructor isn’t actually the great 19th century composer, but rather the world famous, gifted and multitalented performance artist, Hershey Felder. This skilled performer, pianist and playwright, who’s international solo productions have played some of the most prestigious theatres and amazed multitudes of patrons, is a musical and theatrical genius. In addition to this incredible one-person show about Frederic Chopin, Mr. Felder has created, portrayed and presented unbelievably brilliant and beautifully polished presentations about other musical masters. They include such important artists as Beethoven, Liszt, Leonard Bernstein, Tchaikovsky, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and others. Soulfully directed by Joel Zwick, Mr. Felder has even created the lovely period Scenic Design for his production. The Lighting Design by Erik S. Barry, along with the addition of an excellent Video Design by Erik Carstensen, both enhance this production.

But this exquisite performance at Writers Theatre (which premiered in 2005 at the Royal George Theater) is not merely a lecture; before our eyes, Hershey Felder actually becomes Monsieur Chopin. He enters his plushly furnished salon and immediately apologizes for being a few minutes late. It seems he ran into an old friend while taking a short walk, but he’ll go into more detail about this encounter later in the show.

 Chopin continues, giving us a look at his past, which begins growing up in Warsaw, Poland. Born in 1810, Frederic was close to his parents and siblings. He was a child prodigy and, after his musical education, composed several pieces of music that reflected his Polish background. Fleeing the growing Russian oppression, Chopin relocated to Paris at the age of 21. He supported himself by selling his musical compositions and giving piano lessons. He was much in demand and formed friendships with composer Franz Liszt, French artist Eugene Delacroix as well as a relationship with female French author, George Sand.

While Monsieur Chopin primarily wrote for the solo piano, he explains that he also composed two piano concertos, a bit of chamber music and a number of songs containing Polish lyrics. His works include mazurkas, waltzes, polonaises, nocturnes, etudes, preludes and sonatas. Chopin became known for his innovations in style, form and the incorporation of folk flavor from his native Poland. The maestro enchants us with many of his most famous musical compositions, including The Minute Waltz, the Polonaise in A flat major, opus 53 (“Till the End of Time”), the Revolutionary Etude, the Funeral March and a few of his many mazurkas. 

Credited with introducing Nationalism into his music, Frederic Chopin, as created by Hershey Felder, is captivating, humorous and humane. Forever after, avid music aficionados and students of the great composers will remember this brilliant 19th century genius. Chopin is now real to us because we have a face and quirky personality to go with his famous name. The maestro’s innovations in style, musical form and harmony are presented in this one-act with music through bite-sized helpings that are easily understandable and highly entertaining. We leave the theatre feeling that we’ve come to know this master composer, musical instructor and gifted pianist, both Chopin and the brilliant Hershey Felder.   

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented April 10-May 12 by Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, Illinois.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 847-242-6000 or by going to www.writerstheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.