Johann Strauss’ waltz “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” is considered Austria’s secret national anthem. First performed 150 years ago in Vienna, the composition from the Strauss “waltz factory” became an instant worldwide hit. The film by Eric Schulz looks behind the scenes of the “waltz factory” of the Strauss family. Historic film footage is combined with waltz impressions from Vienna’s Musikverein and an unusual collection of mobile phone selfie-videos: for the first time, every musician in the orchestra filmed themselves during the performance. The “Donauwalzer” as the world’s first “orchestra selfie” – like the entire documentary itself – creates astonishing new perspectives on one of the world’s most popular musical traditions.
Lucas Debargue – To the Music
For a year, the film follows the pianist Lucas Debargue through his encounters, his discoveries and his quest for music. In his early career, revealed by the XVth International Tchaikovsky Competition, praised by the public and critics, Lucas is confronted with the concerts that come one after another. He discovers the relationship with the conductor and music partners, studio recordings, post-concerts, success and autographs. He has now found his new life, a whole life devoted to music.
Mythos Carmen
What do the great characters in the history of opera have to do with our own lives? “Mythos Carmen”: modern re-enactments place the respective operatic character squarely in the middle of our present times. Individual chapters examine the key issues of the character, which are spread out in the form of a kaleidoscope. International stars of opera, singers, conductors and directors explain what continues to fascinate us about the characters to this day. They explain their own take on the various heroes and describe what makes the operatic characters mythological. In doing so, they provide a distinctive, new and fresh perspective on the great works of music. The film is augmented by footage shot behind the scenes, at the places where the operas were written, and with a répétiteur, allowing the film to move through our present times emotionally guided by the opera.
BACK HOME in Georgia – Khatia Buniatishvili and Zubin Mehta
They have known each for a long time and performed many concerts together: the pianist Khatia Buniatishvili and the conductor Zubin Mehta. Perhaps that is why they can be so open with each other during rehearsals of Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A-Minor. Back Home with the two musicians and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Georgia under special conditions. The rehearsals in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, take place in the great music hall. The concert two hours drive away under the open skies of Tsinandali – a brand new concert place, built up to the very last minute.
2Cellos – 2Faces
Cellists Luka Šulic from Slovenia and Stjepan Hauser from Croatia have been a great success all over the world. Their You Tube views, concert attendance in the largest arenas of the world and album sales have surged to record figures. They are known as top classical musicians with academic degrees and numerous awards from the most prominent international music competitions. Their cello concerts combine classical pieces with amazing pop, rock and film soundtrack covers, attracting enthusiasts from different music worlds. The documentary film takes the viewers below the surface and introduces them to the rich mental, emotional, conscious and subconscious creative world of the two artists – a world so unique, special and peculiar; it cannot be explained; only experienced. With all the fame and overly chaotic schedules, the two artists try to maintain the delicate balance between the glorious world of international success and the personal world of inner peace and solitude.
Regina Resnik: New York Original
The documentary “Regina Resnik: New York Original” traces the remarkable 70-year career of the Bronx-born international opera star, Tony-nominated actress, stage director, filmmaker, and Jewish cultural figure. The program features on-screen interviews with opera stars Martina Arroyo and Teresa Stratas; Broadway legends Harold Prince and Joel Grey; Maestros Richard Bonynge, Zubin Mehta and Craig Rutenberg; and Ms. Resnik’s brother, engineer Jack H. Resnick. Ms. Arroyo introduces the film onscreen. Renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves is the narrator.
A New Chopin – Daniil Trifonov & Mikhail Pletnev
It is one of the most fascinating classical recordings of the year 2017: Daniil Trifonov’s interpretation of the Chopin piano concertos together with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under the guidance of Mikhail Pletnev. Trifonov and Pletnev are both Russians, pianists and composers. For all these communalities, they are quite different personalities. Trifonov belongs to the crowd of highly talented and celebrated young pianists who has won numerous competitions and gives more than 100 concerts a year. In contrast, the Grammy-award-winner Pletnev is known for his intellectual grasp of musical language who might come across a little bit distant. It is a remarkable proof of trust for the young pianist, that Pletnev offers his re-orchestration of the two concertos for Trifonov’s solo recording. Chopin’s music is elegant and deeply personal, but the orchestrations of his concertos are considered makeshift, many assert. There have been several attempts to re-orchestrate them: Will the Pletnev-orchestration add a new dimension to the pieces? This collaboration is likely to be an artistic exploration at the highest stage and consequently, the music documentary „A New Chopin“ takes viewers on a rare tour of the artistic process.
La Maestra – Alondra de la Parra
37-year old Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra just made history by being appointed the first female conductor and music director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, one of Australia’s three largest Orchestras. In 2004 she became the first Mexican woman to conduct in New York and in 2014, she led the Orchestre de Paris. Clearly breaking barriers is standard fare for Alondra. As a guest conductor she has led more than 70 renowned orchestras worldwid. She has done multidisciplinary collaborations with various actors and filmmakers and keeps on working on educational programs. The documentary traces the multiple facets of Alondra’s life, accompanies her on her binational tours and gives insight into Alondra’s interesting family. Her latest appointment as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director (2017) marks a special point in the orchestra’s history, not only because they decided on a young woman but also because it is the first time they have ever appointed a music director. The film also captures Alondra in her home city New York, where she works on the N.Y. City based “Niños” program, one of Alondra’s numerous initiatives that express her desire to spread classical music to everyone.
Olga Peretyatko – My Love for Rossini
Olga Peretyatko – My Love for Rossini is dedicated to the famous Russian soprano and her admiration for the composer Gioachino Rossini. This documentary includes footage of Olga Peretyatko singing several of Rossini’s most famous arias in concert with the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna conducted by Alberto Zedda. She reflects on her life, her experiences as a singer, and above all, her love for Rossini.
Plácido Domingo: My Greatest Roles
In this feature-length documentary Plácido Domingo describes his favourite roles in opera – and in so doing tells his own life story more fully and poignantly than ever before. The programme is full of clips of his performances, and seasoned with contributions from colleagues such as Kiri te Kanawa, Luciano Pavarotti, and Zubin Mehta. This film sums up Domingo’s whole career as a tenor; now that he sings baritone roles it is a comprehensive overview of the entire tenor oeuvre of the man described by BBC Music Magazine as ‘the greatest singer of all time’. Our guide is the great man himself, in interviews edited from eight hours of conversation in which Domingo reveals more about his life, his thoughts about singing, opera and the world, and what drives him to achieve yet more goals than he has ever done on television before. As he says, “If I rest, I rust”. Most of all this film celebrates some of the finest tenor performances ever filmed, with extensive extracts of what he has selected as his eleven finest roles.