Mozart in the Jungle is a television series produced by Picrow for Amazon
Studios. The pilot was written by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Alex
Timbers and directed by Paul Weitz. The show was given a production order in
March 2014. The story was inspired by Mozart in the
Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music, oboist Blair Tindall's 2005 memoir of
her professional career in New York, playing various high-profile gigs with
ensembles including the New York Philharmonic and the orchestras of
numerous Broadway shows. The series stars Gael García Bernal as Rodrigo, a
character based on conductor Gustavo Dudamel, as well as Malcolm McDowell,
Saffron Burrows, and Bernadette Peters. The first season premiered in full on
December 23, 2014. The show's renewal for a second season was announced by
Amazon on February 18, 2015. Cast and characters
Main cast Gael García Bernal as Rodrigo De Souza
Lola Kirke as Hailey Rutledge Saffron Burrows as Cynthia Taylor
Hannah Dunne as Lizzie Peter Vack as Alex Merriweather
Malcolm McDowell as Thomas Pembridge Bernadette Peters as Gloria Windsor
Recurring cast Debra Monk as Betty
Mark Blum as Union Bob Jennifer Kim as Sharon
Joel Bernstein as Warren Boyd Nora Arnezeder as Anna Maria
John Miller as Dee Dee Brennan Brown as Edward Biben
Makenzie Leigh as Addison Margaret Ladd as Claire
Jason Schwartzman as Bradford Sharpe Reception
The first season of the series has received praise from reviewers and
Amazon users alike. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a
'fresh' 95% rating based on 20 critic reviews, with the critical consensus
"Though confined to the isolated world of classical music, Mozart in the
Jungle's Gael Garcia Bernal makes this charming little show sing." Metacritic
gave the series a 73 out of 100, indicating 'generally favorable
reviews.' Cory Barker, writing for TV.com, praised the series. "What works
so well is that Mozart isn't afraid to throw you into a world you're likely
unfamiliar with, but it doesn't swim so far into the deep end that you
immediately drown in jargon and distanced dramatic stakes." Robert
Lloyd, writing for The Los Angeles Times, also lauded the first season. He
stated that "Characters who were mouthpieces for attitudes start to seem
like people, more complicated than a thumbnail description can accommodate.
You grow interested in what will become of them without expecting or rooting for
any particular outcome." Kory Grow of Rolling Stone also praised the series,
writing that "[t]hanks to quirky scripts and a smart ensemble cast... it comes
off whimsical without ringing off-pitch."
Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter also gave the first season a positive
review. "Bernal is both likable and magnetic, and makes the eclectic maestro
surge on the screen. He alone is worth streaming the series, but, thankfully,
there's a lot more going on here." Brian Lowry, writing for Variety, also lauded
the series. "While Mozart is surely a niche confection, the show generally
shines by proving long on charm even when it's short on laughs." In a more
mixed review, Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a
"B-". He praised the series in general while stating that it paled in
comparison to Transparent. "The latest talent-rich, lo-fi binge from Amazon
Studios falls far short of the high notes hit by the upstart TV player's
sublime dramedy Transparent, but it's pleasing enough to hold you."
Accolades Episodes
References External links
Pilot Mozart in the Jungle at the Internet
Movie Database