Felder has given more than 5,000 performances over the last two decades, portraying the likes of Beethoven, Gershwin and Tchaikovsky. He now returns to Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts, with his sights on the work of French impressionist composer Claude Debussy and the city of light, in Hershy Felder: A Paris Love Story, mixing the story of Debussy's life with his own personal Parisian history.
The most compelling reason to see this show is that Felder was genuinely influenced by the character that he is portraying, in part by his mother's love of Debussy's music. This allows Felder to incorporate his personal experience of trying to "find Debussy", with the life of the composer, which set the stage for the performance.
From the sweeping La mer to the evocative Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune and the mystical Clair de lune, the celebrated composer created music of ravishing beauty, color, and compassion. Felder, in character, doesn't just proclaim the brilliance of Debussy, but breaks down the structure of the chords illustrating what set Debussy apart. This show leaves little doubt that if not the keystone that bridges classical music to modern music, Debussy is where you want to start looking to find that link.
Critics have described Felder in this production as "phenomenal ... exceeds expectations by incorporating his great gift of storytelling, historical knowledge of virtuoso piano playing with a deep, loving personal connection to Debussy" (Broadway World)
"Hershey Felder's return to The Wallis for his portrayal of a man who was among the most influential composers of the lat 19th and early 20th centries has been enthusiastically anticipated by our audiences since he announced his production last year on our stage," says the Wallis' Artistic Director Paul Crewes. "We are fortunate to enjoy a long-term partnership with Hershey and his associates."
Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story features beautiful scenic design, lighting and projection, which, combined with the music and story telling of talented Hershey Felder, takes you to the heart of Paris!
Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story will be playing at Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts from May 24, 2019 through June 16, 2019. Tickets are $35 to $105, and are available at TheWallis.org/Debussy. The Wallis Annenbeg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please contact 310-746-4000 or visit TheWallis.org/Debussy.
We highly recommend Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story for a date night, and for children 12 years and up.
