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Maestro, directed by Bradley Cooper, had its Netflix premiere on December 20, 2023, following a theatrical release in multiple venues on November 22, 2023.
The lives and contributions of composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre are highlighted with poise in Maestro. The film offers a gripping narrative, superb performances, and an inspiring portrayal of creation and love.
As Bradley Cooper donned the role of the acclaimed composer Leonard Bernstein, many fans are left wondering whether he played the piano in the film or not. Cooper has put in a brilliant performance in the film and a lot of care has been taken to fine-tune little details throughout the film. Let us explore whether Cooper played the piano for the film or he managed to play-act his way through the role.
Bradley Cooper learned to play the piano for his role as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro
Maestro is Bradley Cooper's second directorial venture following his debut as a director in A Star is Born. It seems like Cooper is really keen on creating films revolving around music.
While the love story between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre (played by Carey Mulligan) makes for the mainstay of the plot of the film, music plays a major role in the plot too.
The critically acclaimed film, which is jam-packed with some of the best music from the 20th century and beyond, has introduced classical music to a whole new audience. The record company Deutsche Grammophon claims that Cooper made all of the musical selections for the movie. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra trained Cooper in Bernstein's signature manner.
According to the New York Times, Cooper also frequently attended the New York Philharmonic's rehearsals and performances, sitting in the second-tier conductor's box and asking the musicians endless questions. He went to look at the batons and scores by Bernstein in the orchestra's archives. Additionally, he went to Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery with Philharmonic employees to lay a Jewish custom of setting a stone on Leonard Bernstein's grave.
While Cooper was with the Philharmonic, he began a rigorous five-year period during which he immersed himself in classical music to portray Leonard Bernstein, the most significant American maestro of the 20th century and a well-known composer whose compositions included concert hall music in addition to West Side Story.
In an interview with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show in 2022, Cooper said the following:
“You know you put your 10,000 hours in for something you never do? I did it for conducting.”
Unknown to many people, Bradley Cooper was already a trained music conductor and he also rigorously trained in playing the guitar and piano to feature in his directorial debut A Star Is Born. Bernstein was a larger-than-life figure with an exuberant style at the podium. Cooper needed to learn not only to conduct but also to captivate and seduce like a great maestro.
Catch Bradley Cooper's captivating performance as he steps into the role of the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, in the film Maestro. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
