‘¡Viva Maestro!’ Review: A Documentary in Need of a Chief


Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel has earned a reputation as a child prodigy by leading prestigious symphonic groups such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In front of the orchestras he conducts, Dudamel is a live wire, his signature curls bouncing with every wave of the wand. And when music stops, Dudamel turns his passion for his craft into advocacy and supports programs that help young Venezuelan musicians grow professionally.

The documentary “Viva Maestro” follows Dudamel, combining real footage of Dudamel from rehearsals with interviews where Dudamel explains how orchestras can help young people create a better world.

The film begins in 2017 politically and economically. strife in Venezuela It forces Dudamel to put an end to his planned tour with the country’s first youth orchestra, the Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. Dudamel leaves Venezuela and the orchestra’s tour is cancelled, and the young members of Bolívar are left to join the millions of protesters on the streets of Venezuela. But Dudamel continues to fight for his musicians to perform and organizes international concerts as a way to focus his associates on a positive vision for the future.

Dudamel is a cheerfully attractive figure and the movie benefits from following such a cute subject. But the documentary lacks the rigor needed to turn this warm portrait into a cinematic symphony. The protests in Venezuela represent a major upheaval for Dudamel, even resulting in the death of one of his musicians. But director Ted Braun doesn’t take the time to illustrate the protests or explain what drives them, and so much of the film’s conflict feels ambiguous. Braun prefers to listen to Dudamel’s thoughts in interviews. But even the most passionate speakers can seem adrift, with enough repetition.

¡Viva Maestro!
Not rated. Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes. In movie theaters.



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