Simon Rattle conducts (Live-recording from the Berlin Waldbühne, 2009) [Incls 'The Rite of Spring']

"Orchestral concerts al fresco don't get more spectacular or more wide-spectrum than this. Here are Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in the Waldbuhne, a ravine-hollowed amphitheatre outside the city… It's a gift for the consummate film crew that the 88 rows of seats, filled with brightly coloured picnickers, rise up in the late afternoon sun behind Yefim Bronfman's phenomenally clear, no-nonsense but also weighty and poetic handling of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto. Great shots, these, and a great performance..."
(BBC Music)

The famous annual Berlin Phil Open-Air concert at the Berlin Waldbühne is attended by more than 20,000 people. The atmosphere is unique and unconventionally relaxed. People bring champagne, salmon and caviar, making the Waldbühne a giant picnic area. Candles are lit, transforming the area into an atmospheric venue for some of the most popular pieces of classical music. The 2009 programme has a Russian feel to it, with classic pieces by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky; three pieces of the core repertoire, among the most popular ones. Yefim Bronfman, an artist of international reputation and specialist in the Russian repertoire, achieves a brilliant performance of Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto.This is a superb summer night in Berlin - not only for fans of classical music.

NTSC 16:9, PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1
Region code: 0
Booklet Notes: English, German, French
Running time: 103 mins