Mozart in the Jungle

Mozart in the Jungle
Genre Comedy-drama
Based on Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music 
by Blair Tindall
Developed by
Starring
Theme music composer Roger Neill
Opening theme Lisztomania
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English, Spanish
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 20 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Location(s) New York City
Camera setup Single camera
Running time 26–30 minutes
Production company(s)
Distributor Amazon.com
Release
Original network Amazon Video
Original release February 6, 2014 (2014-02-06) – present
External links
Website

Mozart in the Jungle is a television series produced by Picrow for Amazon Studios. The pilot was written by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Alex Timbers and directed by Paul Weitz. The show was given a production order in March 2014. It is considered a dramedy.[1]

The story was inspired by Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music, oboist Blair Tindall's 2005 memoir of her professional career in New York, playing various high-profile gigs with ensembles including the New York Philharmonic and the orchestras of numerous Broadway shows.[2] The series stars Gael García Bernal as Rodrigo, a character based on conductor Gustavo Dudamel,[3] as well as Lola Kirke, Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows, Hannah Dunne, Peter Vack, and Bernadette Peters.

The first season premiered in full on December 23, 2014.[4] The show's renewal for a second season was announced by Amazon on February 18, 2015.[5] All episodes of the second season were made available online on December 30, 2015. On February 9, 2016 a third season was announced.[6]

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Episodes

Season 1 (2014)

No. in
series		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by Release date
11"Pilot"Paul WeitzAlex Timbers & Roman Coppola & Jason SchwartzmanFebruary 6, 2014 (2014-02-06)
22"Fifth Chair"Paul WeitzPaul Weitz & John StraussDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
33"Silent Symphony"Bart FreundlichMark SteilenDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
44"You Have Insulted Tchaikovsky"Daisy von Scherler MayerDavid I. SternDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
55"I'm with the Maestro"Tricia BrockAlex Timbers and Nikki SchiefelbeinDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
66"The Rehearsal"Bart FreundlichStory by: Paula Yoo
Teleplay by: John Strauss & David I. Stern		December 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
77"You Go to My Head"Roman CoppolaAdam Brooks and Kate GerstenDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
88"Mozart with the Bacon"Adam BrooksRoman Coppola & Jason SchwartzmanDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
99"Now, Fortissimo!"Daryl WeinAlex TimbersDecember 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
1010"Opening Night"Paul WeitzStory by: John Strauss & Paul Weitz
Teleplay by: Paul Weitz		December 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)

Season 2 (2015)

No. in
series		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by Release date
111"Stern Papa"Paul WeitzPaul WeitzDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
122"Nothing Resonates Like Rhinoceros Foreskin"Adam BrooksRoman Coppola & Jason SchwartzmanDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
133"It All Depends on You"Adam BrooksStuart BlumbergDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
144"Touché Maestro, Touché"Jason SchwartzmanAlex TimbersDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
155"Regreso Del Rey"Roman CoppolaAdam BrooksDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
166"How to Make God Laugh"Roman CoppolaStuart Blumberg & Adam BrooksDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
177"Can You Marry a Moon?"Tricia BrockDavid IsersonDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
188"Leave Everything Behind"Tricia BrockRachel AxlerDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
199"Amusia"Paul WeitzKate Gersten & Matt ShireDecember 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)
2010"Home"Paul WeitzStory by: Paul Weitz
Teleplay by: Paul Weitz & Kate Gersen & Matt Shire		December 30, 2015 (2015-12-30)

Production

The many oboe solos played by the protagonist and other characters throughout the series are performed by Lelie Resnick, principal oboist of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, while the character of Rodrigo is loosely based on Gustavo Dudamel, the Venezuelan music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.[7] Dudamel coached García Bernal before the latter conducted, in the character of Rodrigo, for a real performance of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, scenes of which were used for the second season opener.[8] Dudamel has a cameo in that episode, acting as a stagehand trying to convince Rodrigo to move to Los Angeles. Other musicians that have cameos in the series are violinist Joshua Bell, pianists Emanuel Ax and Lang Lang, composer Anton Coppola, Broadway star Brian d'Arcy James and conductors Alan Gilbert and Bernard Uzan. Also seen in a cameo is Blair Tindall, oboist and writer of the book on which the series is based.[9]

Reception

The first season of the series has received positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 'fresh' 95% rating based on 20 critic reviews, with the critical consensus "Though confined to the isolated world of classical music, Mozart in the Jungle's Gael Garcia Bernal makes this charming little show sing."[10] Metacritic gave the series a 73 out of 100, indicating 'generally favorable reviews.'[11] Cory Barker, writing for TV.com, praised the series. "What works so well is that Mozart isn't afraid to throw you into a world you're likely unfamiliar with, but it doesn't swim so far into the deep end that you immediately drown in jargon and distanced dramatic stakes."[12] Robert Lloyd, writing for The Los Angeles Times, also lauded the first season. He stated that "Characters who were mouthpieces for attitudes start to seem like people, more complicated than a thumbnail description can accommodate. You grow interested in what will become of them without expecting or rooting for any particular outcome."[13] Kory Grow of Rolling Stone also praised the series, writing that "[t]hanks to quirky scripts and a smart ensemble cast... it comes off whimsical without ringing off-pitch."[14]

Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter also gave the first season a positive review. "Bernal is both likable and magnetic, and makes the eclectic maestro surge on the screen. He alone is worth streaming the series, but, thankfully, there's a lot more going on here."[15] Brian Lowry, writing for Variety, also lauded the series. "While Mozart is surely a niche confection, the show generally shines by proving long on charm even when it's short on laughs."[16] In a more mixed review, Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a "B-". He praised the series in general while stating that it paled in comparison to Transparent. "The latest talent-rich, lo-fi binge from Amazon Studios falls far short of the high notes hit by the upstart TV player's sublime dramedy Transparent, but it's pleasing enough to hold you."[17]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipients Result
2015 Image Foundation Awards Best Actor - Television Gael Garcia Bernal Won
2016 Golden Globe Awards Best Television Series – Comedy Mozart in the Jungle Won
Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Gael Garcia Bernal Won

References

  1. ↑ Gans, Andrew (2014-03-12). "Amazon Studios Picks Up "Mozart in the Jungle" Pilot Starring Bernadette Peters". Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  2. ↑ Burton, Louise (2013-12-11). "Amazon’s TV Pilot ‘Mozart in the Jungle,’ with Joshua Bell and Malcolm McDowell, Is a Tale of Sex, Drugs and…Classical Music?". Classicalite. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  3. ↑ Ramey, Corinne (2013-12-06). "Amazon Studios' 'Mozart in the Jungle' Offers New View of Music World". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  4. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (2014-11-20). "Amazon Announces Premiere Date for 'Mozart in the Jungle' Dramedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  5. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (2015-02-18). "Amazon Tunes Up Second Season Order For ‘Mozart In The Jungle’". deadline.com. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  6. ↑ Gans, Andrew. " 'Mozart in the Jungle,' Starring Bernadette Peters, Renewed for Third Season" playbill.com, February 9, 2016
  7. ↑ Ng, David (2014-02-10). "'Mozart in the Jungle': Is 'Rodrigo' a parody of Gustavo Dudamel?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  8. ↑ Swed, Mark (2015-07-31). "L.A. Phil, Dudamel dive into the 'Mozart in the Jungle' act at the Bowl". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  9. ↑ Midgette, Anne (2015-12-30). "‘Mozart in the Jungle’ finds its feet". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  10. ↑ "Mozart in the Jungle: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  11. ↑ "Mozart in the Jungle - Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  12. ↑ Barker, Cory (2015-01-06). "4 Reasons Why You Should Binge-Watch Amazon's Mozart in the Jungle This Week". TV.com. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  13. ↑ Lloyd, Robert (2014-12-23). "Review 'Mozart in the Jungle' on Amazon gets good after woeful pilot". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  14. ↑ Grow, Kory (2014-12-22). "Bittersweet Symphony: Inside the Sex and Drugs of 'Mozart in the Jungle'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  15. ↑ Goodman, Tim (2014-12-23). "'Mozart In the Jungle': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  16. ↑ Lowry, Brian (2014-12-17). "TV Review: Amazon’s ‘Mozart in the Jungle’". Variety. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  17. ↑ Jensen, Jeff (2015-01-07). "Mozart in the Jungle". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-12-31.

External links

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