Jenna Ortega mastered Bach's cello suites for the popular Netflix program, 'Wednesday'
In the popular Netflix series, Wednesday, Jenna Ortega, who portrayed the troubled daughter of the Addams family, showcased her acting skills alongside her newly acquired cello skills. Ortega, who starred under the direction of Tim Burton, brought Wednesday Addams to life with a dramatic and electrifying performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons and an arrangement for cello of The Rolling Stones' 'Paint It, Black'.
However, it's important to clarify that the cello performances heard on the soundtrack were not Ortega's own. For the series, Ortega learned to play the cello, taking lessons twice a week for two months before filming. Her dedication to the role was evident on screen, with her hand movements across the fingerboard and bowing pattern being fairly accurate to the music.
In one scene, Ortega plays an off-book cello piece, Bach's Cello Suite No.1 in G, a reference that may have gone unnoticed by some viewers. Eagle-eyed fans, though, noticed a section in 'Paint It, Black' where Ortega continues bowing while the cello in the soundtrack uses percussive techniques, a discrepancy that highlights the difference between Ortega's on-screen performance and the professional recordings.
Ölveti Mátyás, a Hungarian cellist, is credited for cello solos in the Wednesday series, with The Cello Doll also being credited for some performances. This was confirmed by The Cello Doll's independent YouTube recording of the cello solo and a shout-out to Ortega's realism in learning cello but not implying she was the performer of the soundtrack.
Despite not recording the cello solos for the soundtrack, Ortega has expressed interest in composing music. She has mentioned her desire to create ambient music and release "neo-composing albums". Ortega also admitted that she cannot play the cello too well now but expressed her desire to continue learning.
References:
- The Cello Doll - Wednesday (Netflix) - Dance of the Knights
- Wednesday's Cello Solo: A Closer Look
- Wednesday's Cello Arrangement Analysis
- Wednesday's Cello Score Breakdown
- Wednesday's Soundtrack Credits
Jenna Ortega, the talented actress who portrayed Wednesday Addams in the popular Netflix series Wednesday, showcased her acting skills alongside her newly acquired cello skills. Despite not playing the cello solos for the soundtrack, Ortega learned to play the cello to accurately depict her character.
Her dedication to the role was evident as she took lessons twice a week for two months before filming, with her hand movements and bowing patterns being fairly accurate to the music. In one scene, Ortega plays an off-book cello piece, Bach's Cello Suite No.1 in G, a subtle reference for keen viewers.
While professional cellist Ölveti Mátyás and The Cello Doll were credited for cello solos in the series, Ortega has expressed interest in composing music. She desires to create ambient music and release "neo-composing albums". Yet, she admitted that she cannot play the cello too well now but expressed her desire to continue learning.
In addition to her classical cello skills, Ortega's influence extends into the realms of fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, entertainment, celebrities, pop-culture, movies-and-tv, and perhaps even into sci-fi-and-fantasy, as she continues her journey in the vast global-cuisines and lifestyles of stardom.
