Bach At Leipzig
As a music lover (and music major) I found the production of Bach At Leipzig, playing at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles, a blast. Written by 26-year old Itamar Moses, it is obvious that he knows a great deal about music. The play is s fictional one based on a true event that occurred in the early 18th Century.
The time is June, 1722, and the leading organist in Leipzig, Johann Kuhnau, collapses and dies at the organ and it is left to the town council to replace him. Seven men arrive in Leipzig (before Bach) to vie for the position, three of them named Johann (Bill Brochtrup, Henry Clarke, and Rob Nagle) and four named Georg (Michael Cavanaugh, Dominic Conti, Leland Crooke and Joel Polis) and all known composers. Since Organ Master at Leipzig is such a prestigious position, being appointed to it can mean fame, fortune and a good salary as well as having influence on the musical world in which they live. The humor of the play comes about as each of these men attempt all sorts of craftiness and misbehavior against one another in order to rid themselves of the competition. After all of their chicanery, the one who finally wins out and receives the grand position turns out to be Johann Sebastian Bach who never appears in the production!
The cast is superb under the astute direction of Darin Anthony. The wonderful period costumes by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg real flair to the characters. Bach At Leipzig will play through Aug. 9.
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
Reservations: (310) 477-2055
Online: www.odysseytheatre.com