Mozart in the Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers and 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.
Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Saffron Burrows, Hannah Dunne, Lola Kirke and Peter Vack , Mozart in the Jungle draws back the curtain at the New York Symphony, where artistic dedication and creativity collide with mind games, politicking and survival instincts.
Based on the critically acclaimed memoir Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs & Classical Music by Blair Tindall, Mozart in the Jungle is seen through the eyes of a young oboist, Hailey (Kirke), who tries to navigate through the egos and eccentricities of a world renowned orchestra, and new conductor Rodrigo (Bernal), an enfant terrible whose passion for music threatens the plans of the orchestra's old guard.
That old guard is represented by Thomas (McDowell), the reluctantly outgoing conductor, and Gloria (Peters), the chairwoman of the board, who wonder what they have wrought by bringing Rodrigo into the fold. The musicians themselves, a colourful family of disparate personalities, are struggling to deal with this new regime.
Along with her friends Alex (played by Vack), a dancer on the brink of success, Cynthia (Burrows), a worldly cellist, and Lizzie (played by Dunne), a world class partier, Hailey searches for what it means to dedicate your life to music.
The series guest stars include Malcolm McDowell (The Mentalist) and Bernadette Peters (Smash), and is executive produced by Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom), Jason Schwartzman (The Darjeeling Limited), Paul Weitz (About a Boy) and John Strauss (There's Something About Mary).
Other guest stars in Mozart in the Jungle include Debra Monk (Damages) as Betty, Wallace Shawn (Gossip Girl) as Winslow, Mackenzie Leigh (General Hospital) as Addison, Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) as Ana Maria, Jerry Adler (The Good Wife) as Lazlo, John Hodgman (Arthur) as Marlon, and Santino Fontana (Frozen) as Mozart.
The series is co-executive Produced by Alex Timbers and produced by Michael Zakin and Caroline Baron. Weitz and Coppola directed episodes, along with Bart Freundlich, Adam Brooks, Daryl Wein, Tricia Brock and Daisy Mayer.
Starring
Saffron Burrows
as
Cynthia
with Malcolm McDowell
as
Thomas
and Gael García Bernal
as
Rodrigo
Bernadette Peters
as
Gloria