Synopsis

Kurt Masur, one of the world’s great Maestros, challenges and teaches the next generation of young musicians and conductors by stretching their limits and transforming their perspectives and abilities. “Sometimes silence can be like a shout,” he tells his students. “The ability to listen is the key of understanding the score.” Following master classes around the world over a period of a few years, the film is a carefully constructed collage that organically interweaves vignettes of the Maestro’s personal life with his music lessons, highlighting the inseparable connection between the two. The result is a comprehensive emotional portrait of one of the most respected conductors of our time. The film accompanies Masur on this personal journey as he moves between different locations and cultures — from a masterclass in Breslau (Wroclaw), Poland, to Brzeg, near Masur’s beloved childhood home; and from Campos do Jordão, Brazil, to New York’s Manhattan School of Music — each time capturing intimate moments with unprecedented access to the great Maestro. Adventures in Listening – Kurt Masur captures the mysterious power of the conductor, as well as the psychology and emotional depth of the art of conducting — the magical authority that connects music with musicians and audiences across the world in a timeless and masterful fusion.

Director

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  • Amit Breuer
  • Born in Israel and currently based in Canada, Amit Breuer is a documentary producer and director. In 1992, she founded the production company Amythos Films. In 2002, she received an award from the Israeli Ministry of Culture in recognition of her contributions to the development of Israeli documentary cinema. She is a recipient of three Israeli Academy Awards and the Joris Ivens Award, among others. In 2004, she relocated to Toronto, where she lives with her husband and daughter. She also works as a programmer for the Toronto Israel-Palestine Film Festival and the Toronto Jewish Film Festival.