“He is probably the greatest musician of our time. There’s no doubt about it.” – Zubin Mehta on Daniel Barenboim

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Daniel Barenboim, one of the most renowned conductors and pianists of our times, an all-embracing portrait of this outstanding musical personality has been created. The documentary accompanies Maestro Barenboim in his eventful working life and at the same time gives a review of Barenboim’s long musical career, from its beginnings to today. Shot in Barenboim’s native town Buenos Aires, in Ramallah and in Berlin, the movie captures rehearsals and performances of the Maestro and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the Teatro Colón and the Staatsoper Berlin. Furthermore, it covers milestone events in Berlin: the opening of the Pierre Boulez Saal – which is part of the Barenboim-Said-Academy and has been brought into being by Daniel Barenboim – and the grand re-opening of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, where Barenboim, in his function as General Music Director, performs together with the Staatskapelle Berlin. In several interviews, long-term companions of the exceptional musician – among them Martha Argerich, Zubin Mehta, Waltraud Meier, his son Michael Barenboim and director Wim Wenders – give a very personal insight into the experiences they shared with Daniel Barenboim throughout the years.

Including the performance of
PIERRE BOULEZ: INITIALE
FRANZ SCHUBERT: DER HIRT AUF DEM FELSEN (D 965)
BOULEZ ENSEMBLE
ANNA PROHASKA (Soprano), JÖRG WIDMANN (Clarinet)
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
From the Opening Concert of the Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin, recorded in 2017.