THE LOST CHORD
Documentary film proposal
WHAT ROLE CAN MOZART PLAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST? CAN MUSIC SERVE A USEFUL FUNCTION IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT AND UPHEAVAL?
“In collaboration with the COL, our hope is to produce a film about this ambitious tour, which will include the first-ever professional performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute at the Palestine Mozart Festival.
This documentary will follow the physical and emotional journey of the COL and of those who come to associate with it in the Middle East.”
(This proposal is from 2007)
THE LOST CHORD
THE LOST CHORD was a documentary proposal to film the Choir of London (COL) tour of the Middle East where they would perform Mozart’s Requiem and stage the first ever opera in Palestine – The Magic Flute.
The COL was a charity made up of professional musicians who used music as a means to build bridges in a context of conflict. This tour was built on previous and successful experience but it was their most ambitious project yet, by staging the opera as well.
The scope for a documentary was obvious, as well as for filming the live performances. It is a rarity to come across this kind of project, so full of hope but also challenging our perceptions of Palestinians.
The project had everything: top class music and performers, and using music to bring people together in one of the most troubled areas in the world.
The working title The Lost Chord provided played with the mythical perfect chord in the universe. In the Lost Chord, it is implicit the pursuit of harmony with nature, that once found, all the discord in the world will be healed and the symphony of the universe will come into complete harmony with itself. So, everything to go for… 🙂
An experienced producer (from October Films) joined the project and it seemed, there was going to be a breakthrough by funding and support to make a film about this journey and performance.
Sadly, it didn’t turn out this way. I suspect when a project humanises Palestinians, there’s always going to be resistance to support it.
SUPPORTING WEBSITE:
Extract:
What exactly involves taking over 50 musicians and singers along with a fully staged opera to that region? How will the reality on the ground change or reinforce their ideas? What impact will the setting have upon them and their performance? What importance do these trips have for local musicians and local people? As an audience, will our expectations of that region be challenged too? Can music actually make a difference?
Through the performances and the workshops in both Israel and Palestine, the COL is part of a grassroots movement that hopes to encourage a change of attitudes.To do this in the Middle East is extraordinary. To document this is a fantastic opportunity. In fact, we feel it is a necessity.
