Naman Shrestha
Bradley Cooper takes on the directorial as well as starring role in ‘Maestro,’ a biographical drama movie that centers around the lifelong relationship and marriage between the legendary conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein and his actress wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. Spanning over 30 years, the narrative delves deep into their love story, starting from the time that they first crossed paths at a party in 1946 that turned into a 25-year marriage with three children — Jamie Bernstein, Alexander Bernstein, and Nina Bernstein Simmons.
Apart from Cooper portraying Leonard, the musical drama film also features heartfelt performances from other talented cast members, including Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman. While the complexities of family and love portrayed in ‘Maestro’ keep the viewers emotionally connected to the Bradley Cooper directorial, the brilliant black-and-white visuals and concert venues keep the audience guessing when it comes to the filming locations.
Maestro Filming Locations
‘Maestro’ was filmed in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut, specifically in Lenox, New York City, and Fairfield. Some portions were also shot in Cambridgeshire, England. The original plan was to begin shooting the drama film in April 2021, but after delaying the production for over a year, it finally commenced in May 2022 under the working title ‘Rybernia.’ The principal photography was wrapped up in October of the same year. So, let’s get a detailed account of all the specific sites that appear in the Netflix production!
Lenox, Massachusetts
In the early stages of the production of ‘Maestro,’ the cast and crew were spotted lensing several pivotal sequences in the town of Lenox, which is situated in Massachusetts’ Berkshire County. In particular, they utilized the premise of Tanglewood at 297 West Street in Lenox. Apart from being the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, the music venue also consists of three reputed music schools — the Tanglewood Music Center, Tanglewood Learning Center, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Since Leonard Bernstein performed his last concert in 1990 in Tanglewood itself, the venue served as one of the filming sites that authenticated the narrative further.
New York City, New York
Some significant portions of ‘Maestro’ were also taped in the City That Never Sleeps. Various key scenes, including the one where Leonard takes Felicia to the park after they hear unpleasant news, were recorded in the peaceful area of the Pool, located near the West 100th Street entrance to Central Park in New York City. The parts involving Felicia’s house and surrounding areas were taped in the residential neighborhood of Forest Hills. To replicate reality, the production team ended up taking over the actual Carnegie Hall at 881 7th Avenue in New York City to record the conducting debut scenes of Leonard Bernstein. The concert venue is considered one of the most prestigious venues in the world, for not just classical but also for popular music.
Fairfield, Connecticut
The filming unit also set up camp in Fairfield, a town situated in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. Leonard Bernstein’s actual home in the town served as one of the prominent filming sites. Located at 216 Dunham Road, the private residence was passed on to the conductor’s children after his death in 1990 and has been in the family ever since. A few sequences of ‘Maestro’ also feature St. Pius X Parish at 834 Brookside Drive in the town of Fairfield.
Cambridgeshire, England
For the purpose of shooting, the production team of ‘Maestro’ also traveled all the way to the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire in England. In the later stages of the shooting, in October 2022, they took over Ely Cathedral, previously known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, and transformed its premise to suit the 1970s timeline by including old cars and vintage pub and street signs in the shot. The filming unit also turned other sites in the cathedral city into film sets as Barton Road and Barton Square hosted the production of ‘Maestro.’ Moreover, the Silver Street area was redecorated with aged street signs and classic cars to set the scene.
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