Knowledge is the Beginning
A Documentary about the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
Documentary / Film 0Knowledge Is the Beginning tells the story of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra from its founding by Daniel Barenboim and Edward W. Said in Weimar in 1999 to the legendary concert in Ramallah six years later. With young Arab and Israeli musicians performing side by side, the orchestra embodies a vision of what could be possible in the Middle East. The film illustrates how prejudices are overcome during rehearsals and how music can help people of different views find common ground. Faced with myriad organizational and political hurdles, the orchestra finally succeeded in traveling to Palestine in 2005—the Ramallah concert provides the film’s emotional conclusion.
The documentary is available for free as part of the Pierre Boulez Saal Open House 2023 until May 28, 2023. Afterwards, the film will only be available to registered platform members. Enjoy the viewing experience!
Subtitles: German and English.
We hope you enjoyed the concert with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Lang Lang, and Daniel Barenboim at the Waldbühne Berlin.
We are delighted to offer all visitors free two-week access to discover our new digital platform, Pierre Boulez Saal Online. In addition to exploring a range of musical content, the offer includes the chance to watch the full documentary Knowledge Is the Beginning about the history of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.
A New Space for Musical Curiosity
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