Balthus (1908-2001) was a master of figurative art. Self-taught and self-invented, he created a poetic but private universe, remaining faithful to a few themes: brooding landscapes, portraits that revealed the inner lives of their subjects, young girls and knowing cats. This profile centres on a rare interview with this enigmatic artist, filmed at his home in Switzerland, in which he talked about his long life, his approach to painting, his inspiration, his subject matter, the vicissitudes of ageing, and the modern world.
Norman Forster
Norman Foster is widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest living architects, a master of Modernism, but also highly respected for his flair when converting older
buildings to present day needs. This portrait reveals not only his genius, but also his highly sensitive and artistic personality. His passion for architecture, his perfectionism and his deep concern with creating life-enhancing environments are clearly demonstrated as he is seen at work, and in the consideration of some of his major projects.
Iannis Xenakis – Something Rich and Strange
The life story of Xenakis (1922-2001) is that of a genius who triumphed over adversity to become, not only a leading composer, but also an architect of renown. His music is rooted in a sub-soil of mathematics, architecture, science and the drama of his personal history. Filmed on the Greek island where he grew up and in his Paris studio, Xenakis is seen talking about his life and his music, which, not only speaks for itself in specially-recorded performances, but is linked to the other sources of his creativity by an inventive use of images.
Alfred Brendel on Music – Three Lectures
In his lectures, which were recorded in Salzburg, Brendel, the ‘most profound pianist of our day’ (Joachim Kaiser), takes his listeners on a journey of discovery behind the notes and into the mysteries of the musical world. Thanks to their mixture of theory and practical examples, his lectures – in spite of their very high level of sophistication – are entertaining not only for the expert, but also for everyone interested in music. Lecture 1: Does Classical Music Have To Be Entirely Serious? (74’); Lecture 2: Musical Character(s) As Exemplified In Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas (72’); Lecture 3: Light And Shade Of Interpretation (79’)