In Search of Mozart

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth in January 2006 ‘In Search of Mozart’ is the first major feature-length documentary on Mozart’s life. His biography is told through interviews and performances with over 70 of the greatest exponents of Mozart’s music including 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, Ronald Brautigam and Škampa Quartet. 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’s the music that takes centre stage, with the jigsaw of Mozart’s life fitting around it. His letters reveal an extraordinary personal voice, which rings out on an engaging, human level, full of joy, passion, pain, rage, jokes, bawdy humour and sensitivity. 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 Sam West, this film has already been hailed as the definitive documentary for the composer’s 250th anniversary year.