Bradley Cooper admits the first time he performed in front of the LSO for Maestro he was 'horrendous'
It was recorded in Ely Cathedral
Following the theatrical release of Maestro, our social team caught up with the film's director and leading actor Bradley Cooper on the Mastro red carpet. Bradley opened up about the spectacular scene, which sees him performing in front of the London Symphony Orchestra.
The film is about an American composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, but as Bradley explained his performance didn't go to plan.
"Unfortunately the first day it was terrifying," Bradley admitted. "It was horrendous because I kept messing up because we were doing it live, and then luckily I think all of the years of preparation and work paid off.
"I set up one more shot the next day, and everybody was kind enough to do it again, and then we got it and that something magical happened and that's what's in the movie."
He continued: "There's only one set up, one take of that setup. But that said, even though it was a rough day, we were still in Ely Cathedral with the London Symphony Orchestra, you know, and the sound of Mahler echoing through that cathedral."
The actor went on to explain how that scene was the only one they did outside the US: "It was its own thing when we shot the movie and then we shot that scene," he explained.
"I mean, it really felt like its own, and we all travelled from America to London, for that one thing that was the only thing we shot outside of the United States and it just felt special and ritualistic."
Bradley took on the lead role of Leonard Bernstein, alongside Carey Mulligan, who played his wife Felicia Montealegre, and she also reflected on that huge scene saying: "There are some things that you get to do in our jobs that are... you know, feel like you've won a competition and are such a kind of remarkable gift and that was one of them."
Carey went on to say: "Really getting to watch that (the performance) happen was something I'll never forget, so the whole two days was just, I mean, hardly two days really, but that whole experience was just incredible."
The actress went on to explain how once they had recorded the scene with Bradley they had the chance to watch the LSO for their own enjoyment, without being in character. Carey explained: "Bradley had done that one single take which is which is in the movie, where he conducted the LSO, it was done and we got to sit in the front row.
"He did two inserts simultaneously of the opera of the soloists and of the concert master, and they did the entire thing again, and so we got to watch it again. Then, without being in character at all, just got to sit and I got to just experience the whole thing, that felt just like an enormous gift."
When is Maestro released?
Maestro has been released in cinemas and will be released on Netflix on 20th December 2023.
When can you hear Penny Smith on Scala?
Catch Penny on Scala, weekdays 10am - 1pm, with interviews on Tuesdays. Later this month Penny will be catching up with Bradley and Carey to talk about their new film.
Take a look at films coming out on Netflix in 2024:
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Release date: 12th January 2024
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The Kitchen
Release date: Early 2024
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SCOOP
Release date: 2024
Cast: Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper, Rufus Sewell.
Synopsis: The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade, leading to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen's 'Favourite son'. From navigating Palace vetoes, to penetrating Prince Andrew's inner circle, from the high stakes negotiations and rehearsal - to the jaw dropping interview itself. SCOOP is the insider account of the inner workings of the Palace and the BBC, twin bastions of the British Establishment, spotlighting the journalists whose tenacity and guts broke through the highest of ceilings - and into the inner sanctum and calculations of a man with everything to lose.
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Release date: 2024
Cast: Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward, Susan Wokoma, Callum Scott Howells, Kit Young, Sheyi Cole, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Robin Nazari, Aoi Okuyama, Cristina Rodlo, Tadashi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Muroyama and Valeria Golino.
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