AllMovie

To classical music enthusiasts, the name Herbert von Karajan is nothing short of legendary. From the beginning, this Austrian symphony and opera conductor sustained and pursued a dream of making hundreds of thousands of classical recordings available via collaborations with the Berlin Philaharmonic and other ensembles- and his output grew so prolific that von Karajan's recordings virtually became synonymous with the creation of the classical recording industry per se. This documentary, produced in 2008 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of von Karajan's birth, takes a long and detailed look at the trajectory of the man's life, from his childhood in Salzburg, Austria, through an endless series of accomplishments that would prompt the New York Times (on the occasion of the maestro's death in 1989) to term him one of the most powerful figures in all of classical music. Gernot Friedel directed; the film was made with the collaboration and assistance of the Karajan-Centrum in Salzburg.