The film celebrates the life and work of a remarkable musician and composer of genius who, forced into exile in 1917, became the greatest pianist of his day. It features soloists Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Mikhail Pletnev (with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado, and his own Russian National Orchestra), Valentina Igoshina, Peter Jablonski, Nikolai Putilin and the Kirov Orchestra and the Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg conducted by Valery Gergiev. With Rachmaninoff's own words spoken by Sir John Gielgud, this is a unique and loving insight into a world long gone, but definitely not forgotten.
We are supporting this anniversary with a screening of ‘Brief Encounter’, where the soundtrack used extensive extracts of Rachmaninoff’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’, which greatly popularised the piece with audiences world wide.
We hope to welcome Tony Palmer to introduce his documentary.
