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The people behind it
Rudolf Buchbinder
Piano
Known for his mournful "Adagio for Strings," Samuel Barber was never quite fashionable. This acclaimed film is a probing exploration of his music and melancholia. Performance, oral history, musicology, and biography combine to explore the life and music of one of America’s greatest composers. Features Thomas Hampson, Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop and many more of the world's leading experts on Barber's music, with tributes from composers Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson and William Schuman. The film was broadcast on PBS, and screened at nine film festivals internationally, with three best-of awards. It was named a Recording of the Year 2017 by MusicWeb International.
Can the darkest moments of life also lift our souls? Drawing on his own experience in a Siberian prison in the company of misfits, murderers and theives, Dostoevsky was inspired to write his novel Notes from a Dead House, telling his brother at the time: ‘Believe me, there were among them deep, strong, beautiful natures, and it often gave me great joy to find gold under a rough exterior.’ In Janáček’s hands, Dostoevsky’s inspiration and the raw material drawn from an appalling world of incarceration find an even more powerful form of expression in his last opera, From the House of the Dead. Unfettered by conventional story-telling, Janáček wrote his own libretto, freely weaving together a series of stories of everyday prison life and of the fates of individual convicts.
Charismatic conductor and composer Andre Previn looks back at some of his greatest television moments, from thrilling performances of orchestral favourites by Mozart and Berlioz to his classic comedy encounter with Morecambe and Wise.
With this performance of the Missa solemnis Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Honorary Guest Conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, once more attained the status of a living legend, due mostly to his wide-ranging expertise of music from the Baroque and Classical era. The highly acclaimed soloists are Marlis Petersen (Soprano), twice the singer of the year by the renowned Opernwelt magazine, Elisabeth Kulman (Alto), Werner Güra (Tenor), winner of the BBC Music Magazine Award for the best vocal performance, and Gerald Finley (Bass), Grammy-Awardwinner for the best opera recording. They are accompanied by the famous Netherlands Radio Choir.
Letters, Riddles and Writs is a one act opera for television by Michael Nyman broadcast in 1991.
Jenny is young. Her life is over. She killed someone. And she would do it again. When an 80-year-old piano teacher discovers the girl’s secret, her brutality and her dreams, she decides to transform her pupil into the musical wunderkind she once was.
The film covers a hundred years in the lives of the Ricordi family, the Milan publishing house of the title, and the various composers and other historic personalities, whose careers intersected with the growth of the Ricordi house. It beautifully draws the parallel between the great music of the composers, the historic and social upheavals of their times, as well as the "smaller stories" of the successive generations of Ricordi.
In October 2022, the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Olomouc welcomed violinist Jan Mráček and cellist Michaela Fukačová to its concerts. Both artists will join forces in Johannes Brahms' unique, mature work, the "Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor“, conducted by Jakub Klecker. The program opened with Antonín Dvořák's symphonic poem "Polednice," which is part of his tetralogy of symphonic poems based on motifs from Karel Jaromír Erben's collection "Kytice," written in 1896 after Dvořák's return from the United States, followed by a work by the world-renowned Georgian composer Giya Kancheli from 2015 entitled "Nu.Mu.Zu", which means "I don't know" in ancient Sumerian. The highlight of the evening was Johannes Brahms' "Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor" from 1887.
Elara, a young violinist, is madly in love with Lucio, a Sicilian student. Their love blossoms, but suddenly Lucio must return to Italy to care for his sick niece. Elara struggles with loneliness and sadness, until she finds new inspiration in a dream.
Take a seat with us at FIRE’s first-ever classical music concert in support of free expression: “Outspoken: Music for Free Speech.” At the podium is conductor Rebecca Bryant Novak, a former doctoral student at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. Taking the stage for the first time since she was expelled without due process after speaking out about alleged harassment, Rebecca leads an all-volunteer orchestra in an unforgettable evening of music. Internationally acclaimed musicians, violinist Lara St. John and oboist Katherine Needleman, bring the stage to life with works by composers who themselves faced censorship, from Mozart to Shostakovich. Between performances, FIRE staff and special guests reflect on why free expression is essential for artists, and for all of us. The arts cannot thrive without free expression. Thank you to everyone who made this night possible!
Thirty years’ Johann Strauss Orchestra, and on the Vrijthof square for the thirteenth year running. Surely a good reason for a party! Enjoy André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra and an evening that is more festive than ever! To name a few highlights: Handel's impressive Hallelujah, sung by all soloists and the choir, Hava Nagilah, Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera, Ballade pour Adeline, O Sole Mio, sung by the Platin Tenors, La Traviata, Highland Cathedral and of course beautiful waltzes by Johann Strauss. And as icing on the cake, a performance by David Hasselhoff, who together with André Rieu, goes through the roof with Looking for Freedom, Love Me Tender and Paloma Blanca! The audience sings and dances along ecstatically. It was a magical evening in Maastricht, relive it with this fantastic anniversary Blu-Ray.
Packed with intricate melodies, harmonies, and instrumentation, Johannes Vogel conducts the Synchron Stage Orchestra to perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C Major K. 551 in this elegant live concert stream. Captured in Vienna’s state-of-the-art Synchron Stage recording facility, experience the thrills and swells of a 40-piece ensemble - 30 string, 5 woodwind, 4 brass, and 1 percussion - comprised of talented musicians from renowned Viennese orchestras. Mozart completed Symphony No. 41 in C Major on 10 August 1788 – the final of three masterpieces he wrote that summer. Labelled ‘Jupiter Symphony’ by music critics, Symphony No. 41 is an example of divine perfection, brimming with the beautiful complexity, emotion, and excitement that represents the possibilities of humankind.
Packed with intricate melodies, harmonies, and instrumentation, Johannes Vogel conducts the Synchron Stage Orchestra to perform Antonin Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor Op.95 (also known as ‘New World Symphony’) in this joyful live concert stream. Captured in Vienna’s state-of-the-art Synchron Stage recording facility, experience the thrills and swells of a 60-piece ensemble – 40 string, 9 woodwind, 9 brass, and 2 percussion – comprised of talented musicians from renowned Viennese orchestras. While serving as the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America, Antonín Dvořák composed New World Symphony (a title inspired by his travels in the United States) and debuted the masterpiece in New York City on 16 December 1893. The symphony has since become one of the most famous works in classical music, filled with hope and happiness as well as uplifting instrumentals that makes it a pleasure to listen to come rain or shine.
Packed with intricate melodies, harmonies, and instrumentation, Johannes Vogel conducts the Synchron Stage Orchestra to perform Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor Op.98 in this enthralling live concert stream. Captured in Vienna’s state-of-the-art Synchron Stage recording facility, experience the thrills and swells of a 60-piece ensemble – 40 string, 9 woodwind, 9 brass, and 2 percussion – comprised of talented musicians from renowned Viennese orchestras. With origins that date back to 1884 in Mürzzuschlag and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Symphony No. 4 was introduced to the public on 25 October 1885 in Meiningen, Germany. In this modern-day performance, Brahms' fourth and final symphony continues to pulse with positive energy and swirls with trance-like melodies that’ll please classical fans far and wide.
Originally aired as part of Beethoven’s 250th anniversary celebration, Johannes Vogel conducts the Synchron Stage Orchestra to perform Gustav Mahler's Orchestration of Symphony No. 9 in D Minor Op. 125 in this dramatic live concert stream. Recorded at the historical Synchron Stage in Vienna, experience the thrills and swells of the Synchron Stage Orchestra - 48 string, 17 woodwind, 14 brass, 4 percussion - comprised of Austria’s finest instrumentalists, alongside a choir of 39 sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. Composed between 1822 and 1824 in Vienna, Symphony No. 9 in D Minor was Beethoven’s final completed symphony. The use of solo singers and a chorus in the final movement was revolutionary, and the emotional journey from the doubt and struggle to the glorious vision of a world of love and tolerance is regarded as one of the greatest and most heartfelt pieces in classical music.
For Peter and the Wolf, premiered in 1936, Prokofiev chose the form of a symphonic tale, featuring a narrator alongside the orchestra. A unique work in which each instrument embodies a character. Renaud Capuçon conducts the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, while Jean Reno takes on the role of narrator.
This installment in the "Karajan Legacy" series captures the acclaimed conductor leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with the Vienna State Opera Chorus and the Sofia National Opera in a masterful performance of Verdi's "Requiem." Filmed in 1984, the concert features an array of renowned soloists, including tenor José Carreras, soprano Anna Tomowa-Sintow, bass-baritone José van Dam, bass Kurt Moll and mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa.
In this unique documentary, French filmmaker Benoit Jacquot interviews Alfred Deller, the internationally celebrated contemporary countertenor who focused his talent on showcasing Renaissance and Baroque music to modern audiences. One of the few films on Deller, it includes footage of him performing selections from Campion, Rosseter, Morley and Purcell. Deller toured the globe with his group, the Deller Consort, from the 1950s through the '70s.
Taylor Swift takes the stage in Dallas for the Reputation Stadium Tour and celebrates a monumental night of music, memories and visual magic.
The brothers Gibb perform their greatest hits from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's including many songs written for and made hits by other artists but never recorded by the Bee Gees themselves.
Trip, a young roadie for Metallica, is sent on an urgent mission during the band's show. But what seems like a simple assignment turns into a surreal adventure.
When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert — quite possibly their last — only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy.
This concert, recorded to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the landmark musical Les Miserables, gathers the casts of the show's 2010 original production at the Queen's Theatre, the 1985 original production by the London company, and the 2010 production at the Barbican together for one performance. Together with talents like Michael Ball, Hadley Fraser, and John Owen-Jones, the performers present the play's musical numbers in a semi-theatrical style, fully costumed and with all the emotion of the musical's heyday.
Hans Zimmer is one of the most successful film music composers working today. His multi-award winning career reaches back to the mid-eighties and he has developed close working relationships with renowned directors such as Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Michael Bay, Ron Howard, Gore Verbinski and Christopher Nolan. His credits include some of the biggest blockbuster movies of all time along with acclaimed TV series such as The Crown and Planet Earth II. This concert was filmed on 7th May 2016 in Prague during Hans Zimmer’s hugely successful European concert tour. Hans was accompanied by a band, orchestra and choir, 72 musicians in total, including guitarist Johnny Marr. The staging was spectacular with a ground breaking light show, stunning visuals and a state of the art sound system. Hans Zimmer performs on multiple instruments and gives introductory insights to many of the pieces during the concert. This show is a treat for lovers of both great music and great movies.
A concert film that the former Pink Floyd singer-songwriter made on various tour dates between 2010 and 2013, when he was playing his former group's 1980 double-album in its entirety.
A documentary chronicling the Beatles' rehearsal sessions in January 1969 for their proposed "back to basics" album, "Get Back," later re-envisioned and released as "Let It Be."
In 1987, to capitalize on his growing success in Europe, Prince toured extensively to promote the album of the same name and sales increased accordingly. However, the United States remained resistant to his latest album, and sales began to drop; it was at this point that Prince decided to film a live concert promoting the new material, for eventual distribution to theaters in America. Featuring the band that accompanied Prince on his 1987 Sign o' the Times Tour, including dancer Cat Glover, keyboardist Boni Boyer, bassist Levi Seacer, Jr., guitarist Miko Weaver, drummer Sheila E. and former member of The Revolution keyboardist Dr. Fink, the film sees the group perform live on stage (although "U Got the Look" is represented by its promotional music video).
Talented USO entertainer Dixie Leonard and comedian Eddie Sparks deal with their relationship over the course of 5 decades from World War II to the Vietnam War era to their twilight era in the 90's.
After completing military service, Walter Gulick takes a job as a sparring partner at a gym, the owner of which sees potential in Walter as a professional fighter—and takes him under his wing.
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
Americans Jeff and Tommy, hunting in Scotland, stumble upon a village - Brigadoon. They soon learn that the town appears once every 100 years in order to preserve its peace and special beauty. The citizens go to bed at night and when they wake up, it's 100 years later. Tommy falls in love with a beautiful young woman, Fiona, and is torn between staying or going back to his hectic life in New York.
On tour promoting their 2002 studio album 'By the Way', Los Angeles-based funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers performs a sold-out live show to 80,000 people at Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland on August 23, 2003.
Ghost is an ideological musician and leader of a jazz band who would rather play his blues in the park to the birds than compromise himself. His peripatetic performances lead him to cross paths with a singer, while his masculinity is thrown into question following a violent brawl.
The Marx Brothers help young Broadway hopefuls when they get mixed up with gangsters due to a tin of sardines containing Romanoff diamonds.
Celebrating the 30 year anniversary of Michael Jackson's solo career, this legendary performance took place on September 10, 2001.
Talented but self-centered trumpeter Bleek Gilliam is obsessed with his music and indecisiveness about his girlfriends Indigo and Clarke. But when he is forced to come to the aid of his manager and childhood friend, Bleek finds his world more fragile than he ever imagined.
A detective is hired to protect the life of a singer, who has recently inherited a department store, from the store's crooked manager.
Gertrude Lawrence rises to stage stardom at the cost of happiness.
