Hershey Felder returns from Italy with Rachmaninoff and the Tsar

This October, celebrated actor-pianist-playwright Hershey Felder brings his latest work, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar, to The Gordy.

The musical play marks Felder’s 12th composer-inspired work and features Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Tsar Nicholas II alongside Felder’s Sergei Rachmaninoff. Set at the end of Rachmaninoff’s life in the United States, the new work explores the famed pianist’s reflections on his compositions, friendship with the Tsar, struggles with mental health, and separation from his homeland.

Felder, based in the historic Italian city of Florence, has a deep personal connection to Rachmaninoff’s music, having performed the composer’s preludes since his teenage years. The play will include performances of some of Rachmaninoff’s most famous pieces, such as the “Prelude in C sharp minor” and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.