Becoming a Swan

Join Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn on tour, featuring performances with some of the world's most renowned orchestras. In addition to the remarkable concert footage, this illuminating portrait captures backstage moments, a recording session at Abbey Road Studios and insightful interviews with the artist. Performances include works by Mozart, Bach, Paganini, Vaughan Williams and Erich Korngold.

Legendary Italian film composer Ennio Morricone conducts the Munich Radio Orchestra, performing his most famous works, along with some more obscure ones, in a concert held in Munich, Germany, on October 20, 2004.

Discovering the world’s most prestigious orchestras. In this episode: founded in 1882, the Berlin Philharmonic initially comprised around fifty musicians. Following Hans von Bülow, its first permanent conductor, his successors , notably Wilhelm Furtwängler, Sergiu Celibidache and Herbert von Karajan, helped to establish its international reputation.

In Vienna, at the Schönbrunn Palace Theater, director Nikolaus Habjan, in collaboration with conductor Hannah Eisendle, presents the operetta “Wiener Blut,” based on waltzes by Johann Strauss Jr.

At the Salzburg Festival, Japanese pianist Kyohei Sorita will conduct the Mozarteum Orchestra from the piano in a concert entirely dedicated to the city’s musical prodigy. The program includes, among other works, Piano Concertos Nos. 9 and 27.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the young Chinese pianist divided music lovers: some praised his desire to popularize classical music, while others mocked his “showman” side. In 2003, Lang Lang's recital at Carnegie Hall was his baptism of fire. A star was born... This concert also gave the musician the opportunity to break free from his ambitious father, whom he invited to play on stage with him at the end of the concert.

At the Salzburg Festival 2024, the Mozarteum Orchestra conducted by the Spanish maestro Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas presented a morning dedicated to Mozart by the American soprano Emily Pogorelc.

Discovering the world’s most prestigious orchestras. Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is a true institution. Horn player Wolfgang Vladar, timpanist Thomas Lechner and oboist Clemens Horak explain how this legacy is passed on to each new generation.

Pianist Lang Lang performs songs from his album Dragon Songs with spoken introductions by the artist.

While performing Richard Strauss’s *Four Last Songs* in Salzburg, soprano Asmik Grigorian reflects on her special connection to the Austrian festival.

The portrait of austrian pianist and composer Friedrich Gulda based on archive material.