Documentary

Silk Road, Songs Along The Road And Time

With the Vienna Boys' Choir

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Cast

Vienna Boys' Choir (Wiener Sängerknaben)

Program notes

One of the world's most famous boys' choir, the Vienna Boys' Choir, as seen by the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Curt Faudon.

Curt Faudon brings to life a never before seen, intimate view of the Vienna Boys' Choir, the most famous boys' choir in the world. Being a combination between fly-on-the-wall documentary and cinematic elements this multi-layered feature film takes us on a journey around the world and even back into time, experiencing the boys' nomadic lifestyle through their very own eyes. Kicking off the story is the choir's Silk Road project, a children's opera which tells the tale of a 2000 year old ghost and a talking camel, based on original songs from Turkey, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and China. While rehearsing the songs, meeting with Asian artists and learning the opera dialogue they attend school, go on their "normal" tours during the academic year and sing under famous conductors such as Franz Welser-Möst and Riccardo Muti. The fictional narrative focuses on a boy who thinks he is a middling chorister muddling along, trying to fly under the radar. He only discovers in the course of the rehearsals that he is much better than he thinks to be. The boy's friends, coming from the US, Slovakia and even from Japan, give their best to help him overcome his shyness before the opening night of the opera.

Interlaced with a tongue-in-cheek filmed collage we go back in time and witness the imperial choir singing at the Augsburg Reichstag in 1518 with Albrecht Dürer and Martin Luther present as well as acts in front of Napoleon III of France and Maria Theresa of Austria and other historical performances in the choir's 500-year history, brought to life by rich costumes and state-of-the-art special effects. Experience a touching coming-of-age-story, breathtaking musical performances and awe-inspiring international locations along the Silk Road with tidbits of mystery and a very special guest appearance: a talking camel.

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