The Los Angeles Philharmonic is buzzing with anticipation as Gustavo Dudamel prepares to bid farewell after 17 remarkable years. For his grand finale, he’s chosen a timeless masterpiece: Beethoven’s ‘Egmont.’ But this isn’t just any rendition; it’s a bold, new interpretation featuring a reimagined text by dynamic playwright Jeremy O. Harris and narration by the unparalleled Cate Blanchett, who steps into the role of Count Egmont, the 16th-century Dutch nobleman famed for leading resistance against Spanish rule.
This week, from Thursday to Sunday, audiences will witness this unique collaboration unfold. We caught up with Dudamel, Blanchett, and Harris amidst their rehearsals at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall. They shared insights into what drew them to this ambitious project, a truly fitting capstone to Dudamel’s tenure before he embarks on his next chapter with the New York Philharmonic. Here’s an edited glimpse into their fascinating conversation.
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How did you two initially connect? Was it before the movie “Tár?”
CATE BLANCHETT: We first met when Gustavo graciously hosted a Q&A session for “Tár” at the Academy Museum, an event organized by Vanity Fair.
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL: The film was absolutely breathtaking.
BLANCHETT: It wasn’t explicitly about conducting, yet the act of conducting was central to its essence.
DUDAMEL: Indeed. I believe the profound meaning behind our work — whether it’s acting or conducting — is fundamentally the same.
Dudamel and Blanchett first connected during an event celebrating the film “Tár,” where Blanchett portrayed a conductor.
BLANCHETT: I agree. It remains a collective endeavor, doesn’t it? While individual achievements and monologues are often praised, ultimately, you can’t create art without an ensemble. You, as a conductor, can’t achieve it without an orchestra or singers.
Welcome, Jeremy. Could you tell us how this incredible collaboration came about?
JEREMY O. HARRIS: I consider myself the luckiest person to ever open an email! When I saw a message from Cate, I was completely stunned.
DUDAMEL: It was all thanks to Cate. We were discussing potential approaches for this project. I had previously worked on a version in Berlin, using Goethe’s original text, which was narrated by Bruno Ganz back in the 1990s. We used that text as a starting point, making a few minor adjustments. During our conversations, Cate and I realized we needed to bring this classic into our contemporary world. That’s when Cate suggested Jeremy.
Cate, what specifically made you think of Jeremy for this role?
BLANCHETT: (Turning to Harris) There’s an undeniable urgency and raw honesty in your writing. You infuse your words with such soul, and your spirit and intellect are so vibrantly alive in everything you create. I just felt that your writing would resonate with, and speak to, our current moment more powerfully than anyone else I could imagine.
HARRIS: They were truly exceptional collaborators. I’ve always admired classical music, but like many, I felt a certain intimidation when it came to a philharmonic or an opera—places I perceived as inaccessible. However, the opportunity to work with Cate was something I couldn’t possibly refuse.
Initially, the idea of writing for such an esteemed audience felt daunting, like I needed to do extensive homework. Gustavo instantly alleviated that anxiety by telling me: “Give me everything; I’ll conduct it, I’ll shape it.” That permission granted me immense creative freedom, and I’m incredibly grateful there were no limitations on my imagination.
Are there inherent constraints when writing text to accompany established music like this? Does the text primarily follow the music, or is it a more integrated process?
BLANCHETT: It’s far more fluid. You see, there are these suspended moments in the music. We’ll discover the full effect during performance, but Jeremy’s text contains some truly potent, contemporary echoes. These might necessitate more “breathing room” around them within the musical landscape.
Blanchett commented on Jeremy’s writing, noting its “really strong, contemporary tectonic resonances.”
How much did you strive to modernize the narrative of “Egmont”?
HARRIS: I delved deep into the story of Egmont, reading the play and the text traditionally used with the incidental music at least twenty times. I even played Gustavo’s Berlin performance in the background as I wrote. The words flowed out of me almost instinctively, like a torrent, and I just let my hands move, hoping they wouldn’t despise it.
But what truly struck me from all my research was that there was no need to force a “wildly contemporary” feel, because the story itself is inherently contemporary. It tackles themes of inquisition and resistance. The thoughts and emotions of the people celebrating Egmont’s life and the subsequent Eighty Years’ War are strikingly similar to the discussions we’re having today about those who stand up and fight. There are so many reasons for righteous anger that transport me across centuries, from the 15th to the 17th.
What kind of initial reactions did you receive from your collaborators when you shared your work?
HARRIS: The very first text I got back was from Cate, and it was so overwhelmingly positive that I literally threw my phone down in disbelief! My fiancé asked, “What’s going on?” and I just kept repeating, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” He had already read it and confidently said, “Everyone’s going to love this.” I, of course, was convinced they wouldn’t.
BLANCHETT: My immediate response was one of profound relief. I was so incredibly relieved that you had conceived it, that you had written it, and that we would have the privilege of performing it. I truly felt that your words perfectly matched the inherent power of Beethoven’s music.
What has the experience of rehearsing this piece together been like for the first time?
HARRIS: (To Dudamel) You quite literally vibrate—every fiber of your being resonates—when you’re up there conducting. It’s truly mesmerizing to witness.
BLANCHETT: You could sense that this was your inaugural time leading the Overture, just by watching you. It was evident in every sinew of your arms.
DUDAMEL: It is such incredibly powerful music. It’s astonishing because I played the overture countless times as a child—at 12, 13, 14 years old—and yet, every time I conduct it now, it feels completely new. It’s as if I’m always falling in love with the piece all over again. It’s so passionate, encompassing all these elements, and with Jeremy’s text, it elevates everything even further.
When you first planned this project, did you have any intuition about the political climate we might be in now, or foresee any parallels between Goethe’s original play and our current times?
BLANCHETT: (To Dudamel) You began discussing it with the orchestra, and it made me reflect that while the creative act starts with instinct, it’s also deeply rooted in intuition. So, you must have had a strong sense that this was the opportune moment for such a piece—that you wanted to create something truly special in your final season. There must have been a deeper intuition, a knowledge that it possessed sufficient space, enough metaphorical breadth, because it’s so challenging to address our overwhelming current moment directly.
DUDAMEL: That’s absolutely true. You know, it’s almost crazy, because—I don’t know what analogy to use—but it’s like a river; everything flows very naturally. I didn’t consciously plan this with the current climate in mind, because the piece itself inherently embodies crucial values: justice, freedom, love, selflessness. While I adore Mahler and Stravinsky, for me, Beethoven remains the greatest. His profound way of thinking. He might have been considered eccentric, but he consistently aimed to express these values through masterpieces like the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony. To truly grasp his music, you need context—you need text. This music was originally composed for a play, and if you perform it without the accompanying narrative, it simply doesn’t connect as profoundly.