First of three programmes about the ultimate romantic composer, Hector Berlioz with Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Splendours and Miseries
Berlioz strides through his life like the hero in a novel by Balzac. His memoirs indeed belong to the same great literary tradition. In this first programme, the composer tells his own version of the triumphs and disasters of a career in music.
Daniel Massey reads from the DAVID CAIRNS translation and the music is drawn from the Fantastic Symphony, the Corsair, Romeo and Juliet and Beatrice and Benedict with Lillian Watson and Alfreda Hodgson.
The composers
Pierre Boulez , George Benjamin and Oliver Knussen join
Simon Rattle to comment on the life and the music. Graphic design
MICHAEL GRAHAM SMITH
Sound ALAN WARD
Associate director ANN HUMMEL
Film editor CAROL OWENS
Executive producer DENNIS MARKS
Directed by BARRIE GAVIN