In Search of Mozart
An unmissable biography narrated by Juliet Stevenson and featuring interviews and performances with over 70 of the greatest exponents of Mozart’s music. A valuable addition to any music lovers collection.
Top-drawer…essential viewing
– The Guardian
Produced in association with the world’s leading orchestras, opera houses and musicians. Told through a 25,000 mile journey along every route Mozart followed; IN SEARCH OF MOZART is a detective story that travels to the heart of old Europe… and the heart of genius itself.
I loved every minute of it
– Time
Narrated by Juliet Stevenson and featuring: Ronald Brautigam, Renée Fleming, Magdalena Kožená, Lang Lang, Louis Langrée, Julian Rachlin, Roger Norrington, Imogen Cooper, Škampa Quartet, Orchestra of the 18th Century, the Salzburg Camerata… and many other leading musicians, performers, and Mozart experts.
Without resorting to docu-drama or visual re-enactment, In Search of Mozart traces the composer’s life through his music and extensive correspondence. From K1a to K626 (Requiem), over 80 works are featured in chronological order, revealing striking parallels between the music and Mozart’s own experiences. Throughout, it is the music that takes centre stage, with the jigsaw of Mozart’s life fitting around it. With rigorous analysis from musicologists and experts such as Jonathan Miller, Cliff Eisen, Nicholas Till, Bayan Northcott and the late Stanley Sadie, a new, vivid impression of the composer emerges. It dispels the many common myths about Mozart’s genius, health, relationships, death and character, to present a new image, very different from Milos Forman’s Amadeus.
Narrated by Juliet Stevenson and with Mozart voiced by Samuel West, the film features interviews and performances with over 70 of the greatest exponents of Mozart’s music including: Christophe Rousset, Sir Roger Norrington, René Jacobs, Sir Charles Mackerras, Renée Fleming, Magdalena Kožená, Sandrine Piau, Ian Bostridge, Gerald Finley, Sir Thomas Allen, Imogen Cooper, Pierre Laurent Aimard, Leif ove Andsnes, Lang Lang and Škampa Quartet. Frans Bruggen’s Orchestra of 18th Century and Ronald Brautigam perform much of the orchestral repertoire but the film also includes live performances from the Vienna Philharmonic, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Salzburg Camerata, Bayerischen Rundfunks, Concerto Köln, Netherlands Opera, Staatskapelle Berlin and Prague Estates Theatre.
K622 • Concerto in A for clarinet
Clarinet • Andrew Marriner
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Leopold Mozart • Trumpet Concerto in D
Trumpet soloist • Falk Zimmermann
Conductor • Tobias Breitner
Jan Zach • Te Deum
Soprano • Iaroslavna Golovanova-Eschey
St Sebastian, St Josef, HI.Geist und Chor der Jesuitenkirche
K1a • Andante in C for keyboard
Piano • Lada Valešova
K1d • Minuet in F for keyboard
Piano • Lada Valešova
K9 • Violin Sonata
Violin • Rémy Baudet
Harpsichord • Pieter-Jan Belder
Musica Amphion
Courtesy of Joan Records BV/Brilliant Classics
K7 • Sonata in D for keyboard and violin
Violin • Rémy Baudet
Harpsichord • Pieter-Jan Belder
Musica Amphion
Courtesy of Joan Records BV/Brilliant Classics
K8 • Sonata in B flat major for violin
Violin • Rémy Baudet
Harpsichord • Pieter-Jan Belder
Musica Amphion
Courtesy of Joan Records BV/Brilliant Classics
K16 • Symphony in E flat, no.1
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
Haydn • Cello Concerto in C major
Cello • Roel Dieltiens
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
JC Bach • Sinfonia in D major
Camerata Budapest
Conductor • Hanspeter Gmür
Courtesy of Naxos
Benda • Sinfonia in D, no.8
Prague Chamber Orchestra
Conductor • Christian Benda
Courtesy of Naxos
Cannabich • Symphony in G, no. 47
Nicolauz Esterházy Sinfonia
Conductor • Uwe Grodd
Courtesy of Naxos
Handel • Ode for St Cecilia’s Day
Dorothee Mields • Soprano
Mark Wilde • Tenor
Alsfelder Vokalensemble
Concerto Polacco
Conductor • Wolfgang Helbich
Courtesy of Naxos
K15 • London Sketchbook
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
K25 • Number variations in D
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
Courtesy of BIS
K51 • La finta simplice (The Pretend Simpleton)
Soprano • Charlotte Ellett
Piano• Martin Pacey
K74 • Symphony in G, no. 10
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K80 • Quartet in G for strings
Škampa Quartet
Allegri • Miserere
The Tallis Scholars
Courtesy of Gimell Records
Jommelli • Armida Abbandonata
Armida • Ewa Malas-Godlewska
Les Talens Lyriques
Conductor and Director • Christophe Rousset
Courtesy of Les Talens Lyriques
K111 • Ascanio in Alba
Soloist • Marie-Belle Sandis
National Theatre Orchestra
Conductor • Adam Fischer
Director • David Hermann
K135 • Lucio Silla
Mezzo-Soprano • Kristine Jepson
Directors • Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito.
Nederlands Kamerorkes
Conductor • Adam Fischer
Director • Jossi Wieler
A new production by De Nederlandse Opera
Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam
K183 • Symphony in G minor, no. 25
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K175 • Concerto in D for keyboard, no. 5
Piano • Herbert Schuch
Symphony Orchestra of the Mozarteum University Salzburg.
Conductor • Jorge Rotter
K201 • Symphony in A, no. 29
Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
K216 • Violin Concerto in G
Violin • Julian Rachlin
Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
K219 • Concerto in A for violin
Violin • Janine Jansen
Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
K271 • Concerto in E flat for keyboard, no. 9
Piano • Mihaela Ursuleasa
Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
K309 • Sonata in C for keyboard
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
Courtesy of BIS
K294 • Aria ‘Alcandro, lo confesso – non so d’onde viene’
Soprano • Cyndia Sieden
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
Courtesy of The Grand Tour/Glossa Music
K297 • Symphony in D, no. 31
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K310 • Sonata in A minor for keyboard
Piano • Ronald Brautigam
K299 • Concerto in C for flute and harp
Flute • Konrad Hünteler
Harp • Helga Storck
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
Courtesy of The Grand Tour/Glossa Music
K316 • Aria ‘Popoli di Tessaglia’ (People of Thessaly)
Soloist • Cyndia Sieden
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K364 • Sinfonia Concertante in E flat for violin and viola
Violin • Janine Jansen
Viola • Julian Rachlin
Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
K317 • Mass in C
Les Talens Lyriques
Conductor • Christophe Rousset
Courtesy of Camera Lucida Productions
K321 • Vespers in C
Soprano • Greta De Reyghere
Mezzo-soprano • Marijke van Arnhem
Tenor • Renaat Deckers
Bass • Jan Van der Crabben
Capella Brugensis Chamber Choir
Conductor • Patrick Peire
Courtesy of Naxos
K366 • Idomeneo rè di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete)
Idomeneo • Stuart Burrows
Idamante • Robert Tear
Orchestre Symphonique de La Monnaie
Conductor • Sir John Pritchard
Director • Gilbert Deflo
Courtesy of RTBF, Belgium
K366 • Idomeneo rè di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete)
Soloist • Magdalena Kožená
Concerto Köln
Concert Master • Andrea Keller
K332 • Sonata in F for keyboard
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
K384 • Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Harem)
Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus
Symphony Orchestra of the
Mozarteum University Salzburg
Conductor • Julia Jones
Director • Stefan Herheim
K384 • Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Harem)
Belmonte • Topi Lehtipuu
Constanze • Sine Budgaard
L’Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne
Conductor • Christophe Rousset
Directors • Jérôme Deschamps and Macha Makeïeff
K361 • Serenade in B flat for winds
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
Courtesy of NPS
K331 • Sonata in A major
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
Courtesy of BIS
K415 • Concerto in C for keyboard, no. 13
Piano • Ronald Brautigam
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K382 • Rondo in D for keyboard
Piano • Ronald Brautigam
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K427 • Mass in C minor
Soloist • Sandrine Piau
Les Talens Lyriques
Conductor • Christophe Rousset
Courtesy of Camera Lucida Productions
K421 • Quartet in D minor for strings
Škampa Quartet
K333 • Sonata in B flat in keyboard
Piano • Lada Valešova
K425 • Symphony in C, no. 36
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K450 • Concerto in B flat for keyboard, no. 15
Piano • Pierre-Laurent Aimard (courtesy of Warner Classics)
Salzburg Camerata
K453 • Concerto in G for keyboard, no. 17
Piano • Angela Hewitt
K456 • Concerto in B flat for keyboard, no. 18
Piano • Leif Ove Andsnes
Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Courtesy of EMI
K465 • Quartet in C for strings
Škampa Quartet
K466 • Concerto in D minor for keyboard, no. 20
Piano • Leif Ove Andsnes
Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Courtesy of EMI
K491 • Concerto in C minor for keyboard, no. 24
Piano • Lang Lang
Salzburg Camerata
Conductor • Roger Norrington
K492 • Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)
Figaro • Gerald Finley
Countess • Renée Fleming
Count Almaviva • Andreas Schmidt
Susanna • Alison Hagley
Director • Stephen Medcalf
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor • Bernard Haitink
Director • Stephen Medcalf
Courtesy of Digital Classics
K492 • Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)
Cherubino • Angelika Kirchschlager
Concerto Köln
Conductor • René Jacobs
Director • Jean Louis Martinoly
Courtesy of Digital Classics
K527 • Don Giovanni
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K527 • Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni • Martin Bárta
Leporello • Peter Mikuláš
Zerlina • Alžběta Poláĉková,
Orchestra of the National Theatre Opera, Prague
Conductor • Zbyněk Müller
Director • Ladislav Štros
K545 • Sonata in C for keyboard
Fortepiano • Ronald Brautigam
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K550 • Symphony in G minor, no. 40
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K581 • Quintet in A for clarinet and strings
Clarinet • Eric Hoeprich
London Haydn Quartet
K588 • Così fan tutte (Women are all the same)
Fiordiligi • Tamar Iveri
Dorabella • Elina Garanca
Ferrando • Saimir Pirgu
Guglielmo • Nicola Ulivieri
Don Alfonso • Thomas Allen
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor
Vienna Philharmonic
Conductor • Phillipe Jordan
Directors • Ursel and Karl-Ernst Herrmann
K589 • Quartet in B flat for strings
Škampa Quartet
K595 • Concerto in B flat for keyboard, no. 27
Piano • Pierre-Laurent Aimard (courtesy of Warner Classics)
Salzburg Camerata
K609 • 5 Contredanses
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K620 • Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
Sarastro • Alfred Reiter
Tamino • Stephan Rügamer
Pamina • Katherina Müller
Papageno • Klaus Häger
Papagena • Nadine Lehner
Monostatos • Peter Menzel
Staatsopernchor
Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor • Julien Salemkour
Directors • Bernward Konermann and Walter Rösler
K622 • Concerto in A for clarinet
Clarinet • Eric Hoeprich
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
K626 • Requiem in D minor
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
Conductor • Frans Brüggen
Courtesy of The Grand Tour/Glossa Music
“…a myth-busting stride through a prodigiously talented life”
New York Times
“In Search of Mozart is a meditation on brilliance and verve, presenting a fresh take on the man who may have best embodied both those traits.”
New York Sun
“a valuable cinematic history lesson”
The Hollywood Reporter
“Conveys the intensity of the musical experience more grippingly than anything I have seen on film or television”
The Times
“A model of its kind”
The Independent
“Top-drawer…essential viewing”
The Guardian
“This serves as a terrific introduction to Mozart’s life and work, and also contains enough to amuse experts”
Financial Times
“Don’t miss this impressive film”
Time Out New York
“The most comprehensive film about Mozart that I have ever seen”
Sir Roger Norrington, conductor
“Honest, straightforward…the ideal bio-doc”
Toronto Star
“See it on the big screen and enjoy sumptuous images…a breathtaking piece of filming”
The New Zealand Herald
“Beautifully shot…nicely paced…It will fascinate those who know nothing about the composer and intrigue those who know something already”
Opera Now
“delightful”
New York Times
“splendid musical materials”
New York Sun
“heavenly music”
Time Out, NY
“beautifully shot and sublime music”
Variety, USA
“A feast for both the eyes and ears, and captivating for both classical music devotees and the uninitiated”
WBAI Web Radio
“In Search of Mozart has broken the Gene Siskel Film Center’s box office record for the most successful single-week run.”
Chicago Reader
“passionate and inspiring”
St. Anthony’s Messenger, L.A.
“In Search of Mozart is challenging and exemplary”
Los Angeles Times
“I loved every minute of it”
Time
“as complete a history of the music genius as has heretofore been presented… No musician or music lover should fail to see this movie”
Cinema Signals
“outstanding…a must see film”
Chicago Sun Times
“The chance to see and hear many of the greatest musicians of our time…Grabsky lets the music tell the story”
Time Out Chicago
“thorough and insightful…a rounded and compelling view of the high-spirited genius”
Chicago Reader
“No more important, or beautifully filmed documentary about Mozart’s life and music has emerged than Phil Grabsky’s ‘In Search of Mozart’…”
Chicago Tribune
“absorbing…accurate and well reasoned”
The New York Sun
“visually sumptuous, authoritative, and compelling”
American Organist Magazine
“beautiful and informative”
KBPS All Classical
“Intense and useful”
Newsweek
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