“Bill Murray is standing in front of a packed audience at a 1,857-year-old Greek theater … describing the ‘solemn solitude’ and ‘sweet repose’ of a summer scene,” writes Amy Kuperinsky in Tuesday’s (2/1) NJ Advance Media. “Sweet, delicate violin, cello and piano from a chamber trio onstage mingle with the familiar lilt of Murray’s voice. The words were written by Burlington native James Fenimore Cooper, born in 1789. The music? Austrian composer Franz Schubert, born in 1797…. ‘They never met,’ he tells the audience, ‘but Franz Schubert was reading James Fenimore Cooper’s ‘Leatherstocking Tales’ on his deathbed.’ … The performance [at the Acropolis in Athens is] documented in the film ‘New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization.’ … Violinist Mira Wang, Bill Murray, cellist Jan Vogler and pianist Vanessa Perez started touring as Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and Friends in 2017…. The Acropolis show was filmed in the summer of 2018…. The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in July…. … It’s no accident that the theatrical release falls on Groundhog Day. ‘It’s almost become the unofficial holiday for Bill Murray,’ [director Andrew Muscato] says, alluding to the time-warped 1993 movie starring the actor.”
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