20 Jan 2021
Leading factual producer Blakeway Productions, part of Zinc Media Group, has been commissioned to make a documentary for the BBC, exploring the life and work of pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, widely regarded as the outstanding musical figure of our time.
Daniel Barenboim: In His Own Words (1 x 60 min) will give the world’s most celebrated Maestro the opportunity to cast his mind back to the key turning points that have shaped his glittering career. With unprecedented interview access, during which Barenboim talks about his life and work, and a rich mine of archive material this film will give a unique, deeply personal insight into a life driven by music, immersed in the cultural and political concerns of the day, and coloured by heartbreak.
Greg Sanderson, Director, London Television, Zinc Media, says: “There are few alive who can genuinely claim the moniker of living legend; Barenboim is one of them. Through this exclusive access, we will be able to build a unique picture of one of the most important cultural figures alive today.”
Looking back on a career that has spanned seven decades, Daniel Barenboim: In His Own Words will create a deeply personal account of the celebrated musician, who is also passionately involved in contemporary concerns. Whether it be tackling the Arab-Israeli conflict or the re-unification of Germany, Barenboim has created a legacy as one of the world’s most influential musicians.
Jan Younghusband, Head of BBC Music TV Commissioning, adds: “Looking back on his career for the first time, Daniel Barenboim: In His Own Words will create a comprehensive insight into his life in music. Often described as the world’s greatest living musician, Daniel Barenboim has created a legacy as one of the world’s most influential cultural pioneers. We are thrilled that Blakeway Productions will work with him to share his unique experience and knowledge with our audiences who have enjoyed his music making on the BBC for so many years.”
Blakeway is the home of high-quality specialist factual programmes focusing on history, archaeology, natural history, arts and music. Blakeway has a tradition of creating definitive biographies of living greats, evident in their award-winning films Hockney (for BBC Two/theatrical release); Lucian Freud: A Painted Life and Picasso’s Last Stand (both for BBC Two); Freud’s Naked Truths (for Smithsonian Channel).
Daniel Barenboim: In His Own Words was commissioned by Jan Younghusband, Head of BBC Music TV Commissioning. It is Exec Produced by Greg Sanderson for Blakeway at Zinc Media and Produced and Directed by Guy Evans.
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