I am a Netflix and Amazon Prime fanatic. There are so many good series on these streaming platforms. I have written about some of them here before.
I recently started watching “Mozart in the Jungle,” an Amazon Prime series and a Golden Globe winner. It is in its fourth season and I have watched from the beginning. I’m now into season 3. And I’m totally captivated.
The show is about relationships, ambition, failure, jealousy, and of course, music, and a passion for life, all set around a New York City symphony.
The characters are smart, talented, zany, conflicted, and charming. A retiring and testy maestro, (Malcomb McDowell), is replaced by the young Rodrigo, a Mexican genius and a playful eccentric. Played by Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo gives the series a magical energy and joy that fits perfectly with the other talented actors.
Early in the series, Hailey Rutledge (the loveable Lola Kirke), a sweet twentysomething oboist trying to earn a spot in the symphony, is asked to be Rodrigo’s assistant. She’s a bit deflated by the request but sees it as an opportunity to eventually prove her worthiness as a member of the talented team of musicians.
Veteran actors Bernadette Peters, Monica Bellucci, Dermot Mulroney, and others appear as quirky, vain, temperamental characters who help drive both the craziness and the appeal of the series.
Most of the scenes are shot in New York City, but there are also escapes to Mexico, Venice, and Japan and these beautiful places and the people and culture in them help keep the series fresh and unpredictable.
Perhaps the most thrilling stars are the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and other brilliant composers. Excerpts from the great masterpieces are performed and if you’re like me you won’t know any of them until you hear them. But they are still amazing.
And thrown into this classical mastery is the music of Ryan Lott and his band Son Lux. A wildly contemporary mix of electronic pop that blends right into the overall fun and zaniness of this series.
Mozart in the Jungle simply reminds us of the delight of life. It explores the hurts and disappointments, the clashes of personalities, and the pull of deep emotional urges as well. But what consistently comes through in each episode is an exhilarating desire to live and love. The music certainly adds to this but the characters themselves and their beautiful personalities lift the series into a glimpse of living we all want to experience in our own way.
There is a scene in one of the episodes where the musicians are dispirited by the politics of the owners. The endless push for money and the meanness of the process brings the group to a standoff and finally a lockout. Later, Rodrigo tells them, “Sometimes, when we lose our way, we must return to the basics. That’s where the beauty lies.”
It is wisdom we all can use.
Mozart in the Jungle is a fun series about romance, courage, music, artistry, friendship, and loyalty. It is a testament to our humanity and our individual longing to find our place in this sometimes bizarre existence and to celebrate being here.
© 2018 Timothy Moody
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