Chopin, Chopin!

Explore the life and music of Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) Freely inspired by the life of the great Polish composer of piano music Frédéric Chopin and more specifically by his romantic liaison with the celebrated French novelist George Sand, this documentary style film is structured around two mature works by the musician and writer: Sonata for Piano and Cello by Chopin and Story of My Life by George Sand. The composer’s music is brought to life on screen through a choreographic staging where actors and dancers, who are seen alternately by themselves or in the company of musicians, attempt to recreate, within a symbolic décor, the universe inhabited by the two lovers.

Documentary which follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the women whose voices had such a powerful influence on the composer Chopin. These included Konstancja, a young soprano and the object of his teenage affections; Delfina, the sexually notorious Polish Parisian emigre countess; fellow composer and opera singer Pauline Viardot; and Swedish opera star Jenny Lind, who so affected Chopin in the final years of his life.

In a new film from the director of award-winning and critically acclaimed trilogy In Search of Mozart, In Search of Beethoven & In Search of Haydn Phil Grabsky brings us the music and life story of one of the world's favourite composers, Fryderyk Chopin.

Documentary which follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the women whose voices had such a powerful influence on the composer Chopin. These included Konstancja, a young soprano and the object of his teenage affections; Delfina, the sexually notorious Polish Parisian emigre countess; fellow composer and opera singer Pauline Viardot; and Swedish opera star Jenny Lind, who so affected Chopin in the final years of his life.

Documentary which follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the women whose voices had such a powerful influence on the composer Chopin. These included Konstancja, a young soprano and the object of his teenage affections; Delfina, the sexually notorious Polish Parisian emigre countess; fellow composer and opera singer Pauline Viardot; and Swedish opera star Jenny Lind, who so affected Chopin in the final years of his life.

Documentary which follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the women whose voices had such a powerful influence on the composer Chopin. These included Konstancja, a young soprano and the object of his teenage affections; Delfina, the sexually notorious Polish Parisian emigre countess; fellow composer and opera singer Pauline Viardot; and Swedish opera star Jenny Lind, who so affected Chopin in the final years of his life.

L'art de Chopin est un portrait à la fois distrayant, instructif et plein d'émotion. Gérald Caillat a marié deux approches. La première privilégie le récit biographique : elle permet de saisir le génie du compositeur dans son époque en évoquant sa vie, son travail, ses préoccupations existentielles, ses influences musicales. La seconde se veut plus analytique, avec les témoignages de quelques-uns des plus grands interprètes de ses oeuvres, parmi lesquels Garrick Ohlsson, Evgeny Kissin, Bella Davidovich, Piotr Anderszewski et Yuja Wang. Chacun à leur manière, ils nous font partager leur passion pour Chopin et leur compréhension de sa musique, facile en apparence, mais si difficile à jouer. Des archives filmées de pianistes prestigieux, dont certains sont disparus, complètent le portrait.

Documentary about the life of the great pianist and composer Chopin and the story of the women whose voices inspired his music. It is undeniable that Chopin revolutionised the nature of music composed for the piano both technically and emotionally. What is less well known is that the actual musical instrument that provided his greatest source of inspiration was the female voice.