This documentary follows Itzhak Perlman when he travelled to Russia for the first time in 1991, accompanied by Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. Perlman describes his experiences with wit and warmth, and speaks movingly of what it means to him, as a Jew, to perform in Russia with a Jewish orchestra.
Double Life of Franz Schubert – A dramatisation of Schubert’s last years
This is a dramatic exploration of the life and works of Franz Schubert. Featuring excerpts from many of his compositions, the central narrative occurs during Schubert’s hospitalization for syphilis, the contraction of which was both a consequence of his darker inclinations and a spur to some of his greatest work. As the doctors diagnose Schubert’s symptoms, identify their cause and administer treatment, the composer conducts his own internal imaginative examination, a sometimes delirious and dreamlike evocation of the moments and music from his past life. The characters he recalls are his maverick friend and ‘Svengali’, Franz von Schober, his authoritarian father, his illustrious but conformist patron Michael Vogl and his unfulfilled love Karoline Esterhazy.
Dancing for Dollars – The Bolshoi in Vegas & The Kirov in Petersburg
Thirty years ago the Bolshoi Ballet’s first trip to America was a political and artistic triumph and audiences queued for days to see these legends of ballet. Bolshoi in Vegas, a richly entertaining documentary, follows their disastrous 1996 tour in which they hoped to capitalise on this earlier success. Kirov in Petersburg traces the development of an institution which is both irremediably altered and condemned to trade on its past glories. As Communism gives way to Capitalism and artistic values give way to commercial considerations, the Kirov Ballet’s chief choreographer Oleg Vinogradov’s final year in office is set against allegations of bribery and corruption. Through the deeply personal recollections of workers, dancers and critics, specially-filmed backstage footage and previously unseen archive material, a unique portrait emerges of the Kirov’s changing fortunes in the context of its awesome heritage. “These two documentaries, for all their dance interest, are centrally about the plight and destiny of post-Soviet art, and are profoundly moving.” THE FINANCIAL TIMES – “The Bolshoi in Vegas'” won:1997 International EMMY Award for Best Arts Documentary, Special Commendation at the 1998 Grierson Memorial Trust Awards, Special Mention at the 1998 Golden Prague Awards
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan: Meditation in Movement
Filmed on location in Taiwan, this complementary documentary looks at the work of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and introduces the performance of Songs of the Wanderers. Lin Hwai-Min talks in interview about his development as a choreographer and the broad background to his style, which embraces both American and Oriental dance, from Martha Graham and classical ballet to Tai Chi and Chinese Opera. He also explains the important role meditation plays in his company’s training and creative process.
Helene Grimaud: Living With Wolves
Film maker Reiner Moritz presents and intimate portrait of the pianist Hélène Grimaud that not only looks back to her childhood and explores her career as one of the world’s leading pianists, touring around the globe – but also shows her in her role as conservationist and founder of the Wolf Conservation Center in New York. The result is a film examining Grimaud’s special artistry within the context of her broader personality and life; featuring extensive performance footage, it offers a fascinating glimpse into what makes one of the most sought after pianists of her generation who she is.
Herbert von Karajan: Portrait of the Conductor Legend
Herbert von Karajan was one of the 20th century’s most fascinating and complex musical personalities, a conductor who dominated the post-war classical music world like a colossus. This film reveals the phenomenon of the man and his music while touching on inspiring – but also controversial – aspects of his career. There are insights from musicians who worked with him, but also from Karajan himself, who, in archive interviews, discusses events in his life and relates them to his work as a conductor. The result is a fascinating portrait of an incomporable musician, whose work continues to resonate powerfully even decades after his death.
Kurtag in Jerusalem
This remarkable film made in 1996 follows one of the world’s greatest living composers, György Kurtág, as he travels to Jerusalem share his wisdom in a series of masterclasses with young musicians at the Jerusalem Music Centre. A dedicated teacher, Kurtág helps the students get to the heart of his works, with an emphasis less on instrumental technique than on meticulous interpretation. The masterclass is followed by a concert given by the students, demonstrating the effect of Kurtág’s guidance. A fascinating insight into the composer, his work, and how he inspires musicians of the next generation.
Gyorgy Kurtag: The Matchstick Man
“The structures stripped bare hold up the empty air”. György Kurtág is more than one of the most powerful creative voices in modern Europe. He created a new way of listening; forging a musical language in which silence can be as meaningful as sound and even the smallest gesture opens up new worlds. This award-winning 1996 documentary offers an unrivalled, often profoundly moving glimpse into his creative imagination, including interviews with the composer as well as rare performance and rehearsal footage plus contributions from György Ligeti, Claudio Abbado, pianist Zoltán Kocsis and the composer’s late wife (and artistic collaborator) Márta.
Nine Sketches of Dvorák
Documentary to the complete Dvorak Symphonies Cycle recorded in the Rudolfinum, Prague, by Czech Philharmonic under the baton of chief conductor Jirí Belohlávek: Alongside the performances in concert, the symphonic cyle is presented in a special interpretative version in which conductor Jirí Belohlávek explains how each symphony came to be written and highlights the key musical features of the individual movements. Jirí Belohlávek visits important places in the composer’s life, interviews experts and key figures and investigates how his symphonies came to be so successful.
My life with Bohuslav Martinu
Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) was born in a small town in Bohemia and spent his life in France, USA, Switzerland, and Italy. As one of the few composers of his time, he experienced great success and fame during his life. The film contains shots of authentic remembrances – newspaper critics, programme books, pictures, buildings, places where Martinu lived, his autographs, archive film shots of the places where he composed. The baseline of the movie is formed by a stream of sorted thoughts of Martinu’s French wife Charlotte. The music sounds like a soundtrack and corresponds to the chronologically narrated content.