Chopin: A Letter through the Parisian Years is a feature-length "intertwining arts" theatre production that I helped my sister, Elina Akselrud, produce in the Spring of 2016. The show combines musical performance, stage acting, and visual projection to create a highly engaging exploration of the life and work of musical composer Frederic Chopin.
I traveled to Paris, France in April 2016 to help Elina put on the overbooked live premiere of the performance. This involved several rehearsals, manning the projector during the show, and collaborating with the lighting and sound operators that were hired for the premiere.
Additionally, in the days leading up to the premiere, we shot the entire show on film in order to produce a cinematic DVD version of the production. This involved shooting under rigorous time constraints and inconsistent lighting conditions, as well as professionally recording all the piano pieces in conjunction with the video.
I am extremely proud of my sister for envisioning and producing this project. This was accomplished on a shoestring budget, and went on to be performed at multiple locations across Europe after the initial premiere in Paris. Below, you will find the trailer for the upcoming DVD release and some stills from the project.
