Performances begin January 3 at The Duke on 42nd Street for a new Off-Broadway production of Eve Wolf’s Maestro, a play that brings to life the story of legendary conductor and activist Arturo Toscanini. John Noble stars as Toscanini in the Ensemble for the Romantic Century production.

Maestro is directed by ERC Director of Theatrical Production, Donald T. Sanders, and is scheduled to run through February 9. The production also features Mari Lee and Henry Wang on violins, Matthew Cohen on viola, Ari Evan on cello, Zhenni Li on piano, and Maximilian Morel on trumpet.

Toscanini made headlines around the world when he refused to perform in Italy and Germany as a stand against fascism. He also traveled to Palestine to conduct an orchestra made up of Jewish refugees.

“Love & Justice & Music. The baton of a great musician breaks thru the sickness and savagery of the modern world," says Sanders. "In Maestro, audiences can see, hear and feel through the power of his real words and beautiful music how this passionately defiant man worked to defeat fascism.”

Wolf is the founder and executive artistic director of ERC as well as a playwright. Recent credits include Van Gogh’s Ear (Pershing Square Signature Center), Anna Akhmatova: The Heart Is Not Made of Stone (BAM), and Jules Verne: From the Earth to The Moon (BAM).

For tickets and more information on Maestro, visit RomanticCentury.org.