AISLE SAY San Francisco

MONSIEUR CHOPIN

by Hershey Felder
Directed by Joel Zwick
Presented by Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Thrust Stage
2025 Addison St., Berkeley, CA / (510) 647-2949

Reviewed by Judy Richter

After regaling Berkeley Repertory Theatre audiences with his one-man shows about composers George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein, Hershey Felder has returned with yet another. This time it's composer-pianist Fryderyk Chopin in "Monsieur Chopin."

The multi-talented Felder frames the one-act show as a piano lesson taught by Chopin in Paris with the audience as his students on March 4, 1848. However, since the "students" are presumably beginners, he does all the of playing to demonstrate his points.

Chopin was born in Poland in 1810, wrote his first composition at age 7 and spent most of his youth there. Hence, Felder speaks with a Polish accent.

He left Poland in part because of the Russian occupation and wound up in Paris, where he spent most of the rest of his life. During that time, he became known as a prolific composer and performer as well as teacher. He also had an eight-year relationship with author George Sand, whom he called Madam. After ailing for several months, he died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39.

One of Felder's most interesting stories concerned what happened after Chopin's death. At his request, his heart was removed from his body and returned to his hometown of Zelazowa Wola, Poland, where it was given a place of honor in a pillar in a church. When the Nazis laid waste to the town in World War II, a Nazi officer, apparently an admirer of Chopin, removed the heart, kept it safe and returned it after the war, when it was eventually installed at the restored church.

Felder plays excerpts and full versions of some of Chopin's best known works on the Steinway grand piano that dominates the simple set by Yael Pardess. Lighting by Richard Norwood and projections by John Boesche and Andrew Wilder enhance moods and scenes.

After completing his scripted presentation, Felder, still in his Chopin persona, called on the opening night audience to ask questions. In one response, he said that his favorite composers are Bach and Mozart, but he doesn't think much of Beethoven.

The post-performance session was highlighted by the Polish consul general of Los Angeles, Mariusz Brymora, who gave Felder a medal for promoting Poland and a drawing of a scene in Kraków. Felder's father was a Polish Jew but left Poland when the Nazis threatened.

Having been thoroughly entertained by the music and the story, the audience moved to the BRT courtyard to enjoy pierogi, a Polish favorite.

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