{"id":110910,"date":"2026-01-23T12:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T20:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/copy-of-sunday-in-the-park-with-george\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T17:16:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T01:16:29","slug":"hershey-felder-the-piano-and-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/hershey-felder-the-piano-and-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n<\/a>Master Music Storyteller in Full Flow<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

The Piano and Me<\/em> is built around storytelling \u2014 intelligent, personal, and absorbing \u2014 that flows naturally into music of the highest order.<\/p>\n

Hershey Felder<\/span><\/span> guides us through a life shaped by composers, history, and memory, letting stories lead and allowing the piano to arrive exactly when it matters. The result is a salon elevated to the concert hall: ideas, insight, and world-class music woven into a single, seamless experience that rewards close attention.<\/p>\n

Felder arrives at this piece after decades of inhabiting great composers onstage, a journey that has made him a familiar and trusted figure for audiences at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley<\/span><\/span>. In this world premiere, that accumulated experience turns inward. The result offers context for the artistry audiences already know, revealing how music, memory, identity and history move together across a life.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hershey Felder has the room \u2014 and keeps it.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Here, Felder emerges as a master raconteur \u2014 a modern salonier \u2014 guiding the room through stories about composers, Jewish identity, inheritance and survival. The storytelling is conversational yet deliberate, shaped by wit, insight, and a respect for our attention. Ideas arrive clearly, connect naturally and continue to resonate as the evening unfolds.<\/span><\/p>\n

At key moments, Felder turns to the piano and the narrative continues in sound. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Bart\u00f3k, and others appear as companions rather than set pieces. The playing is fluent, expressive, and grounded in long familiarity.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Storytelling sets the course\u00a0\u2014 the piano carries it forward.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What gives The Piano and Me<\/em> its distinctive power is the way these elements are interwoven. Spoken word and music move seamlessly together, creating a steady rhythm of listening and reflection. We remain fully engaged, following the thread as it unfolds with ease and confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Background projected visuals contribute with equal care. Images of a young Hershey, his mother, and the shadowed presence of Auschwitz arrive precisely, deepen the emotional register, then step aside. Each image adds resonance and allows space for reflection, strengthening the experience without drawing focus away from it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A master raconteur and modern salonier \u2014 guides the evening through music, memory and meaning.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Humor threads throughout \u2014 dry, knowing, lightly worn \u2014 balancing the weight of the themes with warmth and humanity. The tone remains open and generous, guided by curiosity and trust in our shared attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

Staging supports the evening beautifully. Lighting, sound, and projections frame the performance with restraint and clarity. The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts<\/span><\/span> provides an ideal setting for this kind of listening theatre \u2014 intimate enough to feel personal, expansive enough for the piano to breathe.<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end, our lasting impression comes from time spent inside a focused and alert mind. The Piano and Me<\/em> leaves us engaged, enriched, and glad to have followed where the evening led.<\/span><\/p>\n

Very highly recommended.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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How to Get Tickets<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me<\/em><\/span>
📍 Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View<\/span>
📅 January 17 \u2013 February 8, 2026<\/span>
🎟️ Tickets: $34\u2013$115<\/span>
🌐 theatreworks.org<\/span>
📞 877-662-8978<\/span><\/p>\n

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