Herbert von Karajan is acknowledged as the most influential conductor of the 20th century. To commemorate his 100th birthday, this 90 minute film documentary will cast the light on the entire complexity of the Karajan phenomenon. While the film will treat the main stations in his career, it will above all undertake the attempt to uncover the true, personal essence of his unique artist behind the public figure. The film is directed by the Oscar nominee Robert Dornhelm.

From the archives of Unitel which was for over twenty years Karajan’s production home a wealth of partly unpublished material such as interviews, rehearsals and current statements, will give rise to the portrait of a man who was full of contradictions and remained a mystery until his death. The film, cast in an essay-like narrative form, and not subdivided into purely biographical chapters, explores topics that are important for understanding Karajan’s work and personality. Interviews featured include those with Eliette, Isabel and Arabel von Karajan, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Seiji Ozawa, Christian Thielemann, René Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Brigitte Fassbaender, Gundula Janowitz, Sir Simon Rattle, Mariss Jansons, Joachim Kaiser and Helmut Schmidt.

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