Herbert von Karajan: Maestro for the Screen

Georg Wübbolt's documentary, originally produced for German television, focuses on the conductor Herbert von Karajan's near-obsession with capturing on video his work with the Berlin Philharmonic. Karajan initially opposed the small-screen medium, claiming the visual and audio quality of 1950s-era television could not properly recreate the impact of a concert hall setting; but the popular response to a broadcast of the Philharmonic in Japan during a 1957 Tokyo engagement and the commercial success experienced by rival conductor Leonard Bernstein via a series of U.S. television programs convinced him otherwise. Karajan's aggressive pursuit of the proper visual style to match the Philharmonic's musical output (particularly images that presented him as a powerful artistic figure) seemed to overfeed his ego, and his strident perfectionism resulted in fractured relationships with filmmakers, most notably French auteur Henri-Georges Clouzot. If the conductor did not score points for congeniality with his cinematic collaborators, at least he managed to create a series of handsome productions that captured his energy and artistry. Karajan wisely predicted this footage would preserve his legacy—even noting that his perceived artistic foes would only be remembered by reputation because there was no filmed record of their live performances. Wübbolt's film, which combines archival material, conversations with Karajan, and interviews with collaborators and production partners, offers fascinating insights into the creative process, with an unapologetic view of a brilliant but arrogant maestro who reached for greatness while stepping on toes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)