Hershey Felder Performs In His Final Work of His Acclaimed Series of Composer Plays: “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar”
by Ron Friedenthal
In his final work of his acclaimed series of composer plays, pianist/actor/playwright/producer Hershey Felder has returned to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in Rachmaninoff and the Tsar portraying the life and music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, currently performing through February 9, 2025 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (500 Castro Street) in Palo Alto, CA.
Featuring Rachmaninoff’s most beloved compositions, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar is yet another mystical musical journey in the Hershey Felder style. For the first time, Felder appears opposite another actor: British-Italian Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Tsar Nicholas II. Silvestri is best known for his roles where he specializes in international character accents and styles.
The play brings to life legendary pianist-composer Sergei Rachmaninoff who, having safely left Russia during the 1917 revolution, has made his home in the United States. It explores how he had an intense longing for his homeland, no matter where he lived. Still, in 1942, at the age of 68, he applied for American citizenship and bought a home in Beverly Hills, but his soul had never left Russia. Facing a terminal illness brings forth the memory of an encounter with Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Tsar’s daughter, the Grand Duchess Anastasia, a memory that haunted Rachmaninoff until the end. In his final days, in 1943, under the influence of morphine, Rachmaninoff’s mind could have conjured up such strong feelings with the long dead Tsar. This provided entertaining theater and the audience was enraptured with how well the actors portrayed the life and times of Rachmaninoff.
As can be expected, Felder does a masterful job illuminating Rachmaninoff’s wealth of compositions into a fictional story of his interactions with the Tsar.
These two talented actors are at their best, and with the addition of Felder’s talent as a pianist, he is superb is showcasing the works of Rachmaninoff. At the conclusion of the play, Felder even took time to answer questions from the audience, which, by itself, was quite interesting.
The performance ended on a stirring note as he brought the audience to its feet with Rachmaninoff’s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. It was a fitting end to an evening well spent.
For tickets or more information please visit TheatreWorks.org or phone (877) 662-8978.
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Photo caption: Virtuoso pianist/performer Hershey Felder returns to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in "Hershey Felder Jonathan Silvestri Rachmaninoff and the Tsar," currently performing through February 9, 2025. (Photo Credit: Stefano DeCarli)