The vote was over, and a decision had been made: Claudio Abbado was the new chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. So it was in 1989, when – for the first time – the orchestra itself decided who was to be its leader. The result was a surprise for the music world – and also for Abbado himself. This documentary from 1990 traces the first year of the new chief conductor in Berlin, the special atmosphere of new beginnings and the diverse expectations the musicians had of Herbert von Karajan’s successor. Other than this, many insights are provided into the first artistic projects of the new man at the helm, starting with the rehearsals for Mahler’s First Symphony with which he ushered in his tenure in December 1989. We are also taken behind the scenes to see among other things Abbado’s first visit to Karajan’s room – which was now to be his – and to a first birthday party with the musicians of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Of course, the members of the orchestra have their say, and tell of their hopes and what they expected of their new boss. Even today, these impressions convey the special magic that was in the air at that time.
Soldiers of Music: Rostropovich Returns to Russia
Documentary showing the return to his native Russia of Mstislav Rostropovitch, includes extensive performance footage and coverage of political and personal matters for the cellist. This film is an account, in cinema verite style, of what happened when Rostropovich, along with his wife, the renowned soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, returned to the country that had stripped them of all rights to perform, demolishing their careers because they had dared to shelter and defend Solzhenitsyn. ACCOLADES: Jury Prize, Montreal; Emmy Award
Karajan in Salzburg
This film shows Herbert von Karajan rehearsing Don Giovanni and a Wagner concert for the Salzburg Festival. It is a deeply moving tribute to one of the greatest musicians of the century. As one of the highlights: Karajan and Jessye Norman performing Isolde’s Liebestod.
Ozawa
This 1985 documentary focues on conductor Seiji Ozawa and the behind-the-scenes world of the symphony orchestra. It communicates the intensity and passion by Ozawa brings to his works as conductor and teacher, and shows him in the context of his relationshipwith former masters, current students and family. It also exproes the cultural tensions that caused him to leave Japan and begin a career in the West.
Accent on the Offbeat
In 1992, Jazz at Lincoln Center and New York City Ballet commissioned the famous jazz musician Wynton Marsalis to compose music for a new ballet by choreographer Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief of the NYCB. The film shows the preparation and the perfomance of the ballet.