When a woman steps onto the conductor's podium, she is always one of "the first": the first to lead a world-class orchestra, the first to conduct the closing night of London's "Proms," the first to win the German Conductor Prize. It seems as though the world of orchestral conducting might finally be ready to change it's attitudes toward female conductors for good.

When a woman steps onto the conductor's podium, she is always one of "the first". Perhaps the times are finally changing.

Maestras: The Long Journey of Women to the Podium

Embark on an uplifting odyssey with the documentary “Crossing Rachmaninoff”, as we follow the story of Italian-born pianist Flavio Villani on his remarkable journey towards a musical milestone. Witness Flavio’s determination as he prepares for his professional debut playing Rachmaninoff’s intricate Second Piano Concerto with the Orchestra Filarmonica della Calabria. From his studies in Auckland, New Zealand, to confronting his doubting family in southern Italy, Flavio’s pursuit of his passion unveils the true value of art, the power of self-belief, and the universal human desire for acceptance. Experience the transformative journey of a lifetime filled with soul-stirring music and heartfelt emotions. 

“Crossing Rachmaninoff” follows the story of pianist Flavio Villani as he prepares for his professional debut playing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 with the Orchestra  Filarmonica della Calabria.

Crossing Rachmaninoff

Bayreuth and Salzburg – the two most famous festival cities in the classical music world. Every year they outdo each other with artistic excellence and social glamour. Until a virus called “SARS-Cov-19” plunged the world into a deep crisis in early 2020 – and with it the festival cities. This documentary examines how Bayreuth and Salzburg dealt with the consquences of the Corona pandemic. How did the “Salzburg model” work, where a way was found to save the festival and limit the economic damage? And what does the cancellation of the Wagner Festival mean for Bayreuth and its artists?

Until a virus called “SARS-Cov-19” plunged the world into a deep crisis in early 2020 – and with it the festival cities.

Festival Cities and the Crisis

In this heart-warming autobiographical documentary, get to know Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as he celebrates his 80th birthday.
 
With his roots in Jazz Rock's ''Soft Machine,'' his trademark friendly moustache, and gentle demeanor, Karl Jenkins is an unassuming giant of the choral world.  His choral works, with his made-up Adiemus language, have the unique ability to convey an emotional message to a mainstream audience, going beyond the boundaries of traditional classical music. His most famous work ''The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace'', is performed twice a week on average across the world.  

Discover a new appreciation for the world of choral music and the genius of Karl Jenkins. Sit down with Jenkins as he reflects on his unconventional career path and meet some of the people who have supported his music throughout his journey. 

In this heart-warming autobiographical documentary, get to know Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as he celebrates his 80th birthday.

Karl Jenkins: The Composer Behind the Moustache

This documentary is a privileged peek into the private Palm Springs lifestyle of the worldwide music icon Frank Sinatra. 

For Frank Sinatra, Palm Springs was a desert oasis. His Rancho Mirage compound on Frank Sinatra Drive was the home he called “My Heaven”.  Palm Springs still feels the ghost of Frank Sinatra.

Go behind the curtain of Sinatra’s luxe desert lifestyle. Featuring the last interview from his late wife Barbara, with very personal memories told by his opening act partner and very close friend Tom Dreesen, and many never-before-told anecdotes by Latino singer and friend for 36 years Trini Lopez. With first-hand accounts and historical footage of Sinatra’s visits to some of his favorite places, this film is a real treat for Frank-ophiles and casual fans alike.

Get a privileged peek into the private Palm Springs lifestyle of the worldwide music icon Frank Sinatra. 

Sinatra in Palm Springs

Some years before becoming King, Prince Charles explores the life and music of one of his favourite composers, Sir Hubert Parry.

Best known today for his tune Jerusalem, Parry was one of the leading lights in British music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work has inspired and influenced British greats like Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughan Williams. 

In this insightful documentary, Prince Charles visits Westminster Abbey to hear the anthem I was glad, which he will hear again when processing into the Abbey for his coronation as King Charles III. Prince Charles also talks to musicians, musicologists, and members of Parry’s family to identify what makes Parry’s music sound English.

King Charles III explores the music of one of his favourite composers, Hubert Parry – famous for the tune of ‘Jerusalem’.

The Prince and The Composer

Johannes Vermeer is a fascinating painter whose life and works are explored here in amazing detail. Filmed in London’s National Gallery, New York’s Met and other galleries in the USA and the Netherlands, this stunning film delves into a breath-taking collection of Vermeer’s finest pieces and delivers a detailed biography of the artist, his life and times. An exposition of period musical pursuits is blended with the art of Vermeer and his contemporaries. Live music from the Academy of Ancient Music serves as a beautiful soundtrack to the wonderful sight of Vermeer’s paintings. 

Tim Marlow, world-renowned art historian and broadcaster, guides us through the artwork and delivers a first-rate biography of Vermeer. He invites comments from leading fine art authorities and from Tracy Chevalier, whose best-selling novel, inspired by Vermeer, was made into the block buster movie, Girl with a Pearl Earring.

“Grabsky’s film is comprehensive, smart and highly informative.” – The Art Newspaper

“A treat for the eyes” – Globe and Mail, Canada.

Johannes Vermeer is a fascinating painter whose life and works are explored here in amazing detail. An exposition of period musical pursuits is blended with the art of Vermeer and his contemporaries.

Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure

With a career spanning over 40 years, composer Hans Zimmer’s music has had an unmistakable impact on cinema. This documentary unearths the secrets of his ground-breaking compositions as told by Zimmer and his close friends and collaborators. 

From his first stand-out score for ''Rainman'' to family-friendly hits like ''The Lion King'' and big blockbuster franchises like ''The Pirates of the Caribean'' and ''The Dark Night Rises'', Zimmer's music has redefined the modern movie score. Catch a firsthand glimpse of Zimmer's creative process as he creates a new score for the BBC's "David Attenborough's Frozen Planet II".  Along the way, Zimmer reflects on the pivotal moments that have shaped his journey, offering a compelling portrait of a visionary artist who continues to push the boundaries of musical storytelling.

Spend an hour with Hollywood's superstar composer, Hans Zimmer. 

Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel

This poignant documentary tells the story of Latvian Maestro Mariss Jansons, painting a portrait of the man and his music-making through the four orchestras that were central to his life: the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Concertgebouworkest, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. 

It's impossible not to feel Jansons' infectious passion for music in every performance. Discover his musical legacy as seen through the eyes of the musicians he led as Music Director or Chief Conductor. Through specially filmed performances, archival footage, and exclusive interviews see the indelible mark Jansons left on these orchestras and the the world of music. Each orchestra contributes a specially filmed performance dedicated to the mighty Maestro. 

Discover the musical legacy of Maestro Mariss Jansons as told by the four orchestras central to his legacy.

Mariss Jansons: A Tale of Four Orchestras

Join Maestro Leonard Bernstein for his 1971 performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

In a way only he can, Bernstein takes us through the entire symphony sharing insight, listening guides, and a peek into the rehearsal process for such a monumental piece. Filmed in 1971, just five years before his landmark performance with the London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral, this concert documentary is a rare glimpse of Bernstein in his prime. 

Join Maestro Leonard Bernstein for his 1971 performance and discussion of Mahler's Ninth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

Leonard Bernstein: Four Ways To Say Farewell

Tony Palmer's film was the first major exploration of the life and career of the great American soprano, Renée Fleming - for many the epitome of the modern-day diva. Share an intimate visit with Renée behind the scenes, at home and on stage as she rehearses and performs in Verdi's Otello and Requiem, and sings Strauss, Mozart, Dvorák, Korngold, Ellington, Gershwin, Puccini, Massenet, and Rachmaninoff.

ony Palmer's film was the first major exploration of the life and career of the great American soprano, Renée Fleming

Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Renée Fleming

The film explores what it takes to turn eight individuals into one formidable dance company and follows the process from first auditions, through bootcamp training and creating work - right up to our recent performance.

Documentary capturing the rise of all-male dance company, BalletBoyz from first auditions to a performance in Addis Ababa City Hall, Ethiopia.

BalletBoyz: Next Generation

The 2016 Grand Prix winner at International Television Festival Golden Prague, The Pianist of Yarmouk tells the true story of Ayham Ahmad - a Syrian refugee musician. Surrounded by ruins in Syria’s capital Damascus, Ayham sings accompanied by an out-of-tune piano about migration, hunger and death, until he is forced to flee to Germany. After his arrival in Munich, we follow the life of a man who sang out against the suffering in his country until his instrument was destroyed. His story is just one of many - one instance out of thousands who have been robbed of hopes and dreams and forced to build a new existance.new existence.

The Pianist of Yarmouk tells the true story of Ayham Ahmad - a Syrian refugee musician.

The Pianist of Yarmouk

In this documentary the effervescent mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli takes us behind the scenes at some of the most prestigious, brilliant spectacles in which she has starred in Europe’s most renowned theatres. She is accompanied by artistes of the calibre of Barenboim, Dudamel, Pappano, Argerich and Jaroussky with whom she has forged a relationship based not only on great professionalism, but also on friendship and empathy, regaling the public with engaging, outstanding performances.

Mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli takes us behind the scenes at some of the most prestigious, brilliant spectacles in Europe’s most renowned theatres.

Cecilia Bartoli and Friends

The journey of dancer and choreographer Marion Motin is out of the ordinary. Passionate about hip-hop, this self-taught woman from Normandy has become an artist coveted by the greatest international pop stars. Madonna, Robbie Williams, Stromae, Christine & The Queens: she choreographs their performances, their videos to the point that we all know her without even realizing it. Before becoming a name, Marion was a unique choreographic signature. 

From street battles, through the glitter of US shows, to the dance academies which now solicit her: Marion is always in the right place. A place she has conquered through her talent, charisma and values drawn from the family clan and the wild land where she grew up and where she still lives.

After having created a lot for others, at just 40 years old and a young mother, she faces a new challenge. A more personal creation, which she signs in her name: LE GRAND SOT. In the countdown to the premiere of this show, through her intense daily life where she juggles between a thousand projects (Angèle's and Catherine Ringer's tour, Jean-Paul Gauthier's Fashion Freak Show residency in Madrid,...) and a thousand destinations, we try to unravel the mystery of this powerful woman.

Where does she draw her inspiration, her influences, her energy? How did she impose herself without compromising? In what way is dance for Marion a language that allows her to address these universal questions of sorority, diversity, gender and femininity? Friends, family, collaborators, troupe... all those who rub shoulders with her say that she has the energy of ten people, that she is a combination of power and gentleness: it is her nearly animalistic attitude that has brought her the nickname LOUVE (wolf).

Passionate about hip-hop, self-taught Marion Motin from Normandy has become an artist coveted by the greatest international pop stars.

John Cage: Journeys in Sound

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