Beyond Perfection: The Pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Beyond Perfection: The Pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

52 mins | Documentary | Jan. 12, 2020

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – a name that provokes almost a sense of awe and intimidation, even among his pianoplaying peers. It is a name that represents the highest degree of perfection, a quest for beauty that surpasses that of any other piano virtuoso. However Michelangeli also had a reputation for cancelling concerts at short notice and was consequently portrayed in the media as a somewhat neurotic artist. This documentary is the result of a 30-year search that has resulted in unusual interviews with those who knew him, and has also uncovered a wealth of new archive material: We get to experience Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli as he has never been seen before – and more importantly, as he has never been heard before. We also witness the maestro’s struggle back to his former perfection after suffering a devastating heart attack.

Beyond Perfection: The Pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

52 mins | Documentary | Jan. 12, 2020

Beyond Perfection: The Pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – a name that provokes almost a sense of awe and intimidation, even among his pianoplaying peers. It is a name that represents the highest degree of perfection, a quest for beauty that surpasses that of any other piano virtuoso. However Michelangeli also had a reputation for cancelling concerts at short notice and was consequently portrayed in the media as a somewhat neurotic artist. This documentary is the result of a 30-year search that has resulted in unusual interviews with those who knew him, and has also uncovered a wealth of new archive material: We get to experience Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli as he has never been seen before – and more importantly, as he has never been heard before. We also witness the maestro’s struggle back to his former perfection after suffering a devastating heart attack.
Producers Südwestrundfunk, 3B-Produktion
Original title Ein unfassbarer Pianist: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Directors Syrthos J. Dreher, Dag Freyer
Writers