Classical Soap Opera Casts Dudamel In Lead - Sort Of

One only has to read some of the headlines from the last couple of years to realize that what goes on behind the scenes in the music business, regardless of the type of music, would make a great soap opera.  Now, intrigue, backstabbing, and greed take center stage as Mozart in the Jungle comes to the internet.  The author's website describes her credentials as follows: "From her debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall to the Broadway pits of "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon," Blair Tindall has played with some of the biggest names in classical music for twenty-five years. Now in "Mozart in the Jungle," Tindall exposes the scandalous rock and roll lifestyles of the musicians, conductors, and administrators who inhabit the insular world of classical music." Writing in the Los Angeles Times, David Ng describes it this way...

Ng goes on to draw the inevitable conclusion that the conductor, who goes by the name Rodrigo, is loosely based on Gustavo Dudamel.  The pilot stars Malcolm McDowell as the outgoing conductor, against his will, and Bernadette Peters as the Arts administrator who pushed him.  Gael Garcia Bernal plays the role of Rodrigo.  I will give them credit for one thing, instead of bringing in an actor who pretends to play the violin to portray a soloist, they hired Joshua Bell. Style points.  Now if someone could just teach McDowell how to handle a baton. The pilot was released days ago and can be viewed free of charge at Amazon.com.  You can watch the trailer above. Yes, like Netflix, Amazon.com is getting into the development and production business as internet TV continues to draw larger and larger audiences. It will be interesting to see what kind of response Mozart in the Jungle receives. Read Mozart in the Jungle: is 'Rodrigo' a parody of Dudamel? (LA Times)