Hershey Felder Presents- Live From Florence “Puccini”

 Highly Recommended ***** Many of my readers ( and listeners on wcpt 820 am) know that Hershey Felder is  a performer that I find to be incredible and a “Genius”. If you have watched him  do any of his one-man-shows ( biographies of artists where he becomes the artists- Gershwin, Bernstein, Chopin etc), you will be amazed at what he is doing from Florence Italy. He first did a show that detailed the man, Sholom Aleichem and how the Fiddler stories became the “Fiddler” play . This production is far from what we are used to see him doing. On the local stage he is the only person. He brings the story to life AS the person.

Now, from Italy, he is doing more of a film and using others performers in the production. In his latest, “Live From Florence-Puccini”, Felder brings us the biography of Giacoma Puccini, bringing him to life on our computer screen through the majesty of ZOOM ( or live stream). But as was the case with the “Before Fiddler” production, he is not alone. He has brought on Baritone Nathan Gunn, Soprano Gianna Corbisero, Tenor Charles Castronovo and Soprano Ekaterina Slurina to truly make the music come alive. They are terrific!

This is roughly two hours in length as Felder, who has transformed himself ( as he always does) into Puccini ( he takes on the complete appearance). During this production, we become a group on a tour of his home, the museaum and are led through the development of many of his wonderful compositions. Of course the highlights are “La BoHeme”, “Madama Butterfly  ” and “Tosca” as our four opera singers take on the roles as needed. We learn of Puccini’s development of the music  and his thirst for “unconditional love”.

There are scenes contained where he is sitting at the piano, talking with the singers about how and why he write the way he did. When asked why do the women die and suffer, he explains that the” women die in order for all to suffer”. He himself opted to go in his direction as he preferred to create rather than to study.

Watching Felder take on this role proved to me that his genius is more than just portraying the person he is exploring, but in fact BECOMING that person.

The production is filmed on location in Lucca Italy, in the very home where Puccini was born.

The detail in this production which Felder has created and is involved with in total is amazing. In many scenes, he has immersed the action with him sitting at the piano in the room. The stories evolve and Felder as Puccini ( the creator) is in the room. If you are an opera fan or a Felder fan or just a lover of great music with a thirst for more knowledge ( or maybe just a history buff), you will  love this amazing filmed production.

This special production will be available  Through March 21st. Tickets are on sale through www.PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. The production will benefit national US Theaters and arts organizations including Porchlight.

$55 each ( but this is per family or group)- a bargain!

ENJOY! I know that I did!!!!

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-up and click at ” “Live From Florence- Hershey Felder, Puccini”.