Is Bradley Cooper’s Maestro based on a true story? Details explored

Maestro is an upcoming film directed by Bradley Cooper, who has also co-written its story along with Josh Singer, basing it on the life of American music composer Leonard Bernstein. The long-awaited film will premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2023.

Bradley Cooper, best known for his roles in films like The Hangover, American Hustle, and Silver Linings Playbook, is playing the part of composer Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming film.

Maestro will be the second film directed by him after his directorial debut with A Star is Born, which also featured Lady Gaga.

Maestro will premiere on Netflix at the end of the year with the tentative date set at December 20, 2023. The limited theatrical release of the film is set to be on November 22, 2023.

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Bradley Cooper's Maestro: A true love story between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre

Ever since the trailer drop, many fans have been wondering whether the film is based on a true story. It can be confirmed that Bradley Cooper directed the film as a biopic, specifically focusing on the love story between legendary American music composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, who was a Costa Rican-American actress.

Maestro reportedly follows Leonard Bernstein throughout his relationship and marriage to actress Felicia Montealegre, from when the pair met at a party in 1946, up until her death following a struggle with lung cancer in 1978. The pair had a tumultuous relationship which has been dramatized in the upcoming film.

Over the past few years, Cooper has worked closely with Bernstein’s three children, Jamie, Nina, and Alexander, to bring their parents back to life on the big screen.

The official description of the film, as per Netflix, reads:

"Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love."

Bernstein's son Jamie spoke about the upcoming film in an interview with Classic FM in 2022:

"We’re very touched actually, that it’s not a biopic, strictly speaking, it doesn’t tell the story of Leonard Bernstein from birth to death. It’s not that kind of a film at all. It’s a portrait of our parent’s marriage so it’s about something very specific and very personal for us. We’re really struck by the fact that this was the aspect of the story that Bradley decided to focus on and we’re very excited about the actress who is going to play our mother."

The film will also feature Bernstein's own music.

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Maestro: Cast explored

A still from the upcoming film (image via IMDb)

Bradley Cooper plays the role of composer Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming film. Joining him in the role of Bernstein's wife Felicia is Carey Mulligan. The cast also includes Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Josh Hamilton, Scott Ellis, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, and Miriam Shor in addition to Mulligan and Cooper.

Bradley Cooper's second directorial venture will premiere in theatres across the world on November 22, 2023. Fans can also wait for the Netflix premiere at the end of the year.