A lively documentary and road movie with Rolando Villazón. His very personal homage to Mexico and to the beautiful Mexican songs like ‘Bésame mucho’, ‘Cucurrucucú paloma’, ’Noche de ronda’ and ‘Solamente una vez’. The programme also includes a medley of ‘Cielito lindo’ and ‘México lindo y querido’ as well as other internationally familiar standards.
Making of “Rusalka”
Victims & Seducers – The Fate of the Castrati
An expert in the virtuoso and often unjustly forgotten coloratura music of the Baroque era, the great mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli showcased the repertoire of the castrato singers in her successful CD/DVD “Sacrificium – The Art of the Castrati”. She is the face of the present documentary, in which she takes us into the intriguing world of the castrati, and lends her voice to the great Farinelli in performances of rediscovered bravura works. The film features dramatic re-enactments that alternate with information on medical, historical and sociological aspects of the castrato phenomenon.
Discovering Beethoven
For each symphony of the BEETHOVEN 9 project Christian Thielemann and Joachim Kaiser present an entertaining introduction feature with various examples and music excerpts plus documentary with Prof. Hellsberg on Beethoven and the Wiener Philharmoniker (A05512808 1×34’).
The Most Beautiful Operas of All Time
Reach out with ‘The Most Beautiful Operas of All Time’ format to a viewership beyond the typical classical music fans: Present the most beautiful operas of all time by combining the broadcast of the documentaries with the according opera productions in as many different stagings as you like. Let the viewers not only discover the rich world and full variety of opera music but also let them choose the ‘most beautiful opera of all time’ and create the classical music TV-event which is widely perceived in all media. Documentaries: AIDA, LA BOHÈME, CARMEN, DON GIOVANNI, FIDELIO, LOHENGRIN, DER ROSENKAVALIER, TOSCA, LA TRAVIATA, DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
The Mahler Project – Documentary
The Mahler Project: A fascinating documentary on the musical world of Gustav Mahler as seen by the two great musicians, and a recording of Mahler’s colossal Ninth. “Mahler created a new world with each of his symphonies (…) It is a fantastic journey for both of us”. With these few words, Daniel Barenboim sums up the vast scope of a project undertaken with his friend Pierre Boulez: two very different world-class conductors tackle all nine completed symphonies of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) with one orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin. Performed as a complete cycle in Berlin, Vienna and New York, the concerts were a tremendous success. The Financial Times even wrote: “New York is going Mahler mad”. Before embarking on this journey, the two conductors underwent a long period of reflection and discussion. In this documentary, director Christoph Engel compiles a rich selection of statements, conversations and musical excerpts which show how differently each maestro approaches this mighty oeuvre.
The Most Beautiful Song – A Search for Singers with Thomas Quasthoff (Documentary)
Thomas Quasthoff founded this contest ‘Das Lied’ to ensure that the Lied, which the baritone calls ‘the most beautiful form of music making,’ continues to hold its place in the concert repertoire of the future. The film accompanies some of the young singers during the competition’s three rounds, providing a showcase not only for beautiful voices and poignant Lieder, but also, and above all, for emotions. The hopes and disappointments, the joys and doubts, the tension and exhilaration of the young singers are all captured on film. And it soon emerges that the contest is as stimulating and galvanizing for the jurors as it is for the contestants! Excerpts from the closing gala concert recorded at the sumptuous Apollo Hall of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin round off the film.