A magical beginning: The Easter Festival in Baden-Baden

The year 2013 marked a turning point in the history of the Berliner Philharmoniker: Four decades after the founding of the Easter Festival, the orchestra transferred its very own spring residence from Salzburg to Baden-Baden. A new beginning with new artistic challenges in a new environment. Our documentary A magical beginning accompanies the Berliner Philharmoniker to the first Baden-Baden Easter Festival.

The year 2013 marked a turning point in the history of the Berliner Philharmoniker: Four decades after the founding of the Easter Festival, the orchestra transferred its very own spring residence from Salzburg to Baden-Baden. A new beginning with new artistic challenges in a new environment. Our documentary A magical beginning accompanies the Berliner Philharmoniker to the first Baden-Baden Easter Festival.

In interviews, members of the orchestra and chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle talk about their hopes, their expectations, and of course their music. The centre of this Easter Festival was Mozart’s Magic Flute – a work which the Berliner Philharmoniker had never played live before, and for Sir Simon it was also a first. In our film, we see events not only from the perspective of the audience, but also from behind the scenes where, among other things, we learn from the prop master how exactly you vacuum a forest floor. 

In addition to this festival highlight, there were of course countless other concerts and stories to experience: chamber music in a variety of venues in the city, a children’s opera (in which the orchestra appeared alternately as bears and chickens) and much more. More than enough reasons for the musicians to come to the conclusion: We can’t wait for next year!

A film by Hannah Dorn and Jakob von Bernstorff (2013)

Sir Simon Rattle
Robert Carsen
Frank Elstner
Simon Halsey
Thomas Quasthoff
Kate Royal

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Artists

Sir Simon Rattle Chief conductor 2002–2018
Simon Halsey chorus master
Thomas Quasthoff bass-baritone
Kate Royal soprano

© 2013 Berlin Phil Media GmbH

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