THE FIRST BOHEMIAN?

Three young actors who also happen to be musicians discover an old ragged copy of Franz Schubert's song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey) in church that is also a theatrical performance space.  They have fun reading through it and, in learning that they all love Schubert's music, begin to imagine a creative performance of this work. 

As time passes, they piece together a story that blends a performance of the work (or at least much of it) with a recreation of a Schubertiad or Schubertabend, which was basically a party at Schubert's or one of his friends' places where his music would be performed, games such as charades played, politics/religion/literature/whatever discussed, and, of course, potent beverages would be in plentiful supply.

The result of this collaborative effort was Three Pianos. It had a very successful run at a theater specializing in experimental works and then moved to the New York Theater Workshop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. While very entertaining and brilliantly contrived, this is not Mamma Mia!  The website for the show even includes a study guide and references for further reading!

NYTW Webpage for Three Pianos

Schubert was the first important bohemian composer.  As such, although he lived a precarious existence, he was not beholden to a patron, the church or the theatre.  He knew no boundaries and was gifted with a precious talent that was both innate and fostered by his extraordinary friends and acquaintances, many of whom appear in Three Pianos as the three actors take on numerous roles.

Because Schubert knew no boundaries, I am sure this helped free up the actors (who also developed the script for the show) as they developed the show. They cross the boundaries of time and place, retaining the character of some of the songs, turning one into an indie rock song, another into a jazz/blues number, and turning another into a German campfire song.  Here is a You Tube sample (recorded in the living room of one of the actors):

Jazz performance of "Die Krahe"

The script also breaks up boundaries by mixing historical narrative, "music appreciation" satire, and contemporary language and action such as using a remote to "Fast Forward" past several songs the actors don't especially care for.  

This musical gives the performers a workout as they move the three pianos that are onstage into various configurations.  The stage setting combines the bare limbs and branches of winter trees, a village scene with its church and graveyard, and a small apartment into a single composite set.

The entire production is done with great affection and admiration for Schubert and his band of friends. The ensemble's performance of the final song of the cycle, "Der Leiermann" (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man) is as moving as one is likely to hear from even a "proper" concert performance of  the cycle. By moving Schubert from Carnegie Hall to a Lower East Side theater, the ensemble places it in surroundings that he would recognize and most likely embrace. 

Although the majority in the audience were older folks, many of whom probably already had a good knowledge of the song cycle, performances like these help expand the range of exposure to classical music beyond the boundary of the traditional concert hall.  The creators of this show underscored the fact that creative types tend to share a bond that goes across time and place.