Tony Palmer

Irish Tour '74 captures Rory Gallagher, the man, his music, and the magical connection with his live audience to perfection. During the heightened periods of heavy violence and political unrest in Ireland, when other artists dared not go there, Gallagher was resolute about touring Ireland, winning him the adoration and dedicate of thousands of fans. In the process, he became a role model for other aspiring young Irish musicians, spearheading the entire...

Yehudi Menuhin made his debut in Paris at the age of eleven. At fifteen he recorded the definitive performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto, conducted by the composer. Menuhin is acclaimed as one of the great violinists of the century. He was the first artist to play with the Berlin Philharmonic after the overthrow of the Nazis, and the first major Western classical soloist to play jazz and Indian music. A dedicated teacher, the former child prodigy...

"The Salzburg Festival has hosted every great star of the opera and concert hall, from Toscanini to Anne-Sophie Mutter, from Fischer-Dieskau to Barenboim, from Pollini to Mitsuko Uchida. In this film, the first to tell the story of this remarkable Festival, set in the birthplace of Mozart, director Tony Palmer has been granted unprecedented access to Austria's film archives. Highlights include performances of Jedermann from 1920 to the present day...

Biographical film about the opera singer Maria Callas.

This documentary about Wagner's Parsifal explores the history of the grail tradition and how it has been represented in various works, and details the background in which Wagner wrote his final opera.

A performance of excerpts from Carmina Burana is the framework of a documentary on Orff's life, educational efforts, and work. The film relies on footage of Orff himself, as well as interviews with and recollections by two of his wives, friends and colleagues, and scholars who study his life and work.

An intimate look into the story of Doria Manfredi and her relationship with Puccini, and the opera that came about as a result.

Based loosely on the memoirs of Shostakovich, a classical composer living in Russia during the reign of Stalin, this film traces the relationship between Shostakovich and Stalin and the effect that Stalin had on Shostakovich's life and work.