• Director(s):

    FOLLIN (MICHEL)

  • Producer(s):

    ARTE FRANCE, 13 PRODUCTIONS

  • Territories:

    Worldwide.

  • Production year:

    2011

  • Language(s):

    German, English, French

  • Rights:

    NON-THEATRICAL, TV, VOD, DVD, INTERNET

"I am about to commence my grand symphony, in which the development of my infernal passion will be depicted". In December 1830, Berlioz' symphony took Paris by storm. He had just ignited the Romantic movement with the creation of his Fantastic Symphony.

By composing this autobiographical symphony, often qualified as the first "sound cathedral", Hector Berlioz proved he was a musician with a vast imagination. This work considerably expanded the scale of music and opened the way for all future orchestrators, from Bruckner to Gustav Mahler, from Shostakovich to Messiaen.

In addition to being a masterpiece of symphony music, the Symphonie Fantastique immediately posed the question of the relationship between the artist and society. The Fantastique is a product of its era, and also played a part in changing that era.

The documentary examines the aura of influence that Berlioz's masterpiece continues to exert over contemporary music and over creation in general, in a world in which Romanticism seems but a remote reference.