Citizen Review: 33 Variations

posted by Mia Chung

Music is powerful magic. And for me (despite eleven years of perfunctory piano lessons) classical music is still shrouded in mystery—a glorious, elite magic that I respond to viscerally, instinctively…yet always with a limited vocabulary (“that was so nice and… and well, it was just brilliant and nice”) and self-conscious trepidation (“I don’t know anything about this”).  Kind of like how I feel when I hear French.

Moisés Kaufman’s 33 Variations is an accessible invitation to appreciate Beethoven at his most mysterious: after all, why did he write thirty-three variations of the Diabelli waltz?  And for those, like myself, who didn’t even know of the Diabelli Variations, Kaufman’s play offers a guided tour into a musical classic, as well as the mystery of obsessive genius at work. I’m not surprised that Moisés Kaufman was sucked into this magical obsession.

As I watched 33 Variations, I was so grateful for the layered experience of hearing the Variations played live by concert pianist Diane Walsh while seeing actor Graeme Malcolme’s dramatization of musicologist William Kinderman’s interpretation of the music. A unique opportunity to witness all these elements in the same space!

Comments

[Herbert]

Last Sunday, I was privileged to have the opportunity to see "33
Variations" at the Kreeger Theater.

Let me briefly summarize my reaction--this was probably the finest production that I have ever seen. I could elaborate, but there would be a long list of positives.

[Anne]

This is a good chance to tell you how thrilling I found 33 Variations....so many truly brilliant moments. Rarely is a play accessible and affecting on so many levels: intellectual, emotional, psychological. Is there a script printed? I'd love to actually read it...Can't wait for the rest of the season.