Yannick Nézet-Séguin was in Bradley Cooper’s ear during the conducting scenes in ‘Maestro’
The Abington-born actor was ‘enthusiastic and very into it’ but ‘you would not mistake him for a professional’
To help work up the role of the glamorous conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein, Bradley Cooper sat in on Philadelphia Orchestra rehearsals and concerts and was schooled by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin in the elusive art of conducting.
Members of the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir are featured in a scene in which Cooper as Bernstein is rehearsing “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide. In the filming with the choir last year, Cooper made use of an earpiece that piped in a friendly voice.
“Yannick ran us through [the music] first, and then Bradley did it, while Bradley as he was conducting had Yannick in his ear, so he was helping him through,” said chorister Megan McFadden, an alto from Northeast Philadelphia.
The Inquirer made several interview requests through Netflix to interview Nézet-Séguin about his involvement in the movie, but in response to the last request, a Netflix spokesperson said the conductor did not have time available within The Inquirer’s three-week time frame.
How good a conductor was Cooper?
“He was enthusiastic and very into the music,” said McFadden. “You would not mistake him for a professional conductor. He wasn’t bad — it’s just we know the difference.”
That said, one particular take stood out.
“We were following him and it wasn’t like we were on autopilot — there was a little rubato [an expressive manipulation of tempo] or something and we went with him, and it was this magical moment where everybody could tell it was very cool,” said McFadden.
During the course of the long production day at the DiMenna Center in midtown Manhattan, as Cooper toggled between acting and directing, he maintained the distinct Bernstein vocal mannerism.
“He was in his Lenny voice even when directing,” said choir member and alto Rebecca Roy of Cherry Hill. “We had a great time working with him.”