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Maestro, the highly awaited biopic on the remarkable life of American composer Leonard Bernstein and his relationship with his wife Felicia Montealegre, is scheduled to be released in limited theaters on November 22, 2023. The Bradley Cooper directorial will later release on Netflix on December 20, 2023. Cooper will also be seen taking on the lead role of Leonard Bernstein in the biographical drama.
The official brief synopsis for Maestro, given by Netflix, reads as follows:
"Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between cultural icon 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."
Ever since the official teaser trailer for Maestro was released by the popular streaming platform, viewers have been quite curious to learn all about the renowned composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. So, without further delay, let's dive right in and find out all about the iconic musician and composer.
From his body of work to accolades- all about Leonard Bernstein, ahead of the premiere of Maestro
Leonard Bernstein was a highly acclaimed American music composer, music educator, conductor, pianist, humanitarian, and author, who was considered one of the very first American conductors to garner massive international fame.
He was born on August 25, 1918, to Jewish parents, Samuel Joseph Bernstein and Jennie Bernstein in Lawrence, Massachusetts. His birth name was Louis Bernstein, however, he changed his name to Leonard at the age of 18. From a very young age, Leonard Bernstein had a keen interest in practicing and composing music.
As per Boosey & Hawks, while growing up, some of his biggest musical influences were Arthur Fiedler and George Gershwin, among others. His first public piano performance took place on March 30, 1932, at the New England Conservatory, in Susan Williams’s studio recital, where he played Brahms‘s Rhapsody in G minor. Two years after that performance, he went on to make his solo debut in the world of music with the Boston Public School Orchestra.
Later on, he studied music at the prestigious Harvard University. He moved to New York in the 1940s and started living in several Manhattan residences. Leonard Bernstein made his very first conducting debut on November 14, 1943, as the assistant conductor to Artur Rodziński of the New York Philharmonic.
His body of work covers a wide range of music. Some of his best work includes the Broadway musical West Side Story, the three symphonies, Chichester Psalms, Serenade after Plato's "Symposium" and the original score for the well-known movie On the Waterfront. He was also highly recognized for his musical work in theater, which included Wonderful Town, On the Town, MASS, and Candide, among others.
He tied the knot with his wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn, a well-known actress and activist, on September 9, 1951. In the upcoming movie, Maestro, Carey Mulligan will portray the character of Felicia Montealegre. Both of them remained lifelong friends and partners, despite several complications within their marriage due to the composer's s*xual orientation and many affairs, as per Daily Mail. The couple had a total of three children together named Alexander, Jamie, and Nina.
Throughout his long-spanning career, he received an array of honors and accolades, including 16 Grammy Awards, 2 Tony Awards, and 7 Emmy Awards, among other esteemed awards.
Leonard Bernstein passed away at the age of 72 due to a heart attack, on October 14, 1990, in New York City. It happened just five days after he declared his retirement from composing and conducting music to the world. Without a shred of doubt, the man left a huge musical legacy behind with his extraordinary works.
Maestro will premiere on December 20, 2023, on Netflix.
