Daniel Barenboim Movies

This memorable production of the Jules Massenet opera Manon places the story in the glamour of Golden Age Hollywood, making the heroine a Marilyn Monroe-esque starlet. The production stars Anna Netrebko in the title role, with Rolando Villazon and Christof Fischesser rounding out the supporting cast. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

In the early-mid 1990s, a unique and special friendship blossomed between two brilliant minds: that of renowned symphony conductor and classical pianist David Barenboim, and that of the late Edward Said, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University. The former was a Jew, the latter not only Palestinian but a vociferous Palestinian activist, yet incredibly, the two men forged a deep-rooted and enduring bond that transcended the boundaries and limitations of two cultures traditionally at violent odds with one another. The story grows increasingly wondrous with the knowledge that the men worked in unison to expand their transcendent camaraderie into the cultural realm, and there breached harmonization in the Middle East with stunning efficacy. They began with Barenboim's decision to conduct symphonies in the West Bank, then collaborated on the creation of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a musical ensemble balanced equally between Israeli and Palestinian artists - an accomplishment that many hoped would serve as a harbinger of future achievements in the beleaguered Middle East. With his documentary portrait Knowledge is the Beginning, filmmaker Paul Smaczny chronicles the pair's awe-inspiring accomplishments, including the debut of the West-Eastern in Weimar on the 250th anniversary of Goethe's birth, Barenboim's trips to Jerusalem and Ramallah (and his reception of the Wolf Prize) and the orchestral ensemble's 2005 tour. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte gets a modern makeover in this stage version featuring Dorothea Röschmann, Katharina Kammerloher, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann in the leads, and directed for the stage by Doris Dörrie. Conductor Daniel Barenboim leads the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin and the Staatskapelle Berlin. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This concert film captures Daniel Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra through classical pieces from Claude Debussy, Manuel de Falla, and Pierre Boulez. The DVD release of this concert includes a featurette in which Barenboim talks about twentieth century classical music. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Though the Berlin Philharmonic typically adheres almost exclusively to classical music, this unique performance set finds the ensemble stretching itself beyond those boundaries to deliver a series of interpretations of Latinate works - conducted, appropriately enough, by the Argentine maestro Daniel Barenboim. The set begins with such familiar works as Ravel's Bolero and Bizet's Carmen Suite, then moves into a broad array of works by lesser-known composers. Selections include: Lecuona's La Comparsa, Piazzolla's Adios Nonino and Lincke's Berliner Luft. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

The inimitable Waldbuhne Theater, with its outdoor setting and architecture inspired by Epidaurus, serves as the backdrop for this unique classical music event. In the live set, filmed on June 29, 1997, The Berlin Philharmonic performs a series of selections from the Russian repertoire, including Tchaikovsky's Waltz from Swan Lake, Mussorgsky's Prelude to Kovanshchina, Lincke's Berliner Luft and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor. Zubin Mehta conducts. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Three of the most celebrated artists in classical music -- violinist Itzhak Perlman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Daniel Barenboim -- come together for a special recital in this performance video. Recorded during a 1995 performance with The Berlin Philharmonic, Beethoven: Triple Concerto and Choral Fantasy marks the first time this concert has been made available on home video. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide