Chopin’s Afterlife
A documentary by Ophra Yerushalmi
Chopin’s
Afterlife is a pianist’s search for Frédéric Chopin whose music seems
to connect people everywhere. The director, Ophra Yerushalmi, for whom
Chopin has been a constant source of inspiration, is joined by musicians
and non-musicians, dancers, poets and visual artists. They are young and
old, masters and students, all with special affinity to the composer.
Together they investigate different layers hidden under the seeming simplicity
of the music and its sheer beauty.
Among those participating are composers Lukas Foss and John Eaton, pianists Abbey Simon, Arie Vardi and Frederic Chiu, as well as Jerome Lowenthal and Pavlina Dokovska of the Julliard and Mannes schools of music. Also included are two rare solo dances choreographed by José Limřn and Jerome Robbins, danced by Carla Maxwell and Helgi Tomasson.
Chopin’s Afterlife shows a surprising variety of ways in which Chopin remains meaningful in our contemporary world, so different from Chopin’s own. The film is an attempt to create a bridge between the “romantic” and the “revolutionary” Chopin and to challenge viewers to look at Chopin in new ways.
54 min. Video or DVD. Sale $195. Video rental $85.
“… wrests Chopin out of myth and legend, into the fiery intimacy and truthfulness that a dedicated pianist can evoke…” Cynthia Ozick, writer
“opens up genuinely new perspectives on the genre…” Volker Berghahn, professor, Columbia University
“This engaging and lovingly crafted film illuminates the profound influence of this great master, and opens our eyes to the long shadow he casts on music past, present and future.” Christopher Tellefsen, film editor, Capote
