The curtain may have gone up on what seemed like an unblemished performance of 'La La Land' at Sydney's Darling Harbour Theatre last month, but behind the scenes, a very different story was unfolding. As 2,000-strong audience members were treated to a magical night of music and dance, tensions had been simmering in the wings.
It all started when conductor Justin Hurwitz dropped a bombshell during the intermission: one of his keyboardists had fallen ill, and he desperately needed an "amazing sight-reader" from the audience to save the day. In walked 21-year-old university student Sterling Nasa, who rose to the challenge like a rockstar, bringing the house down with his virtuosity.
But now, two anonymous orchestra members are blowing the whistle on what really went down that night – and it's not quite the feel-good story everyone thought. According to sources, backstage tensions had been building for weeks, with Hurwitz allegedly singling out the percussion and keyboard sections for unreasonable treatment.
"It was like a war zone," one musician claimed, alleging that Hurwitz's communication style left much to be desired. "He'd say things like 'Australia must have different musical notation' – it was totally unprofessional." Another source described how Ellis, the contractor who brought the orchestra together, had been breathing down their necks in the days leading up to the concert.
"It got to the point where we were under so much pressure that we couldn't even volunteer to step in," one musician said. "The keyboardist who left after the interval deserved our support – not some manufactured happy ending." The musicians are furious that their story has been hijacked by a global media frenzy, with many viewing it as a cynical PR exercise.
The MEAA has launched an investigation into the events surrounding the performance, highlighting the importance of fair workplace standards in the arts and entertainment sector. While Hurwitz's team remains tight-lipped on the issue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the often-unseen pressures that come with live performance – even for A-list productions like 'La La Land'.