Cinema
The Music Teacher
Le Maître de musique
Gérard Corbiau · 1988
Synopsis
After a final triumphant concert, the baritone Joachim Dallayrac announces that he is leaving the stage. Retired to the countryside with his companion, Estelle, he devotes himself to training a single pupil, Sophie, who has an exceptional voice. He then takes in Jean, a young delinquent who sings. Prince Scotti, who bears him an old hatred, organises a great singing competition, and Dallayrac enters his two pupils in it.
Context
The baritone José van Dam plays the lead and sings his own arias, while the voices of the two pupils are those of the soprano Dinah Bryant and the tenor Jérôme Pruett. The film, financed by French-language public television, was shot mostly at the château de La Hulpe, in Brabant, where the lessons are given, with an orchestra conducted by Ronald Zollman. It was presented at Cannes in May 1988 and released the same month.
Who it is for
About an hour and a half, in French, with a great deal of sung music. It can be followed without knowing anything about opera.
Prizes and reception
Nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1989, and its author's first feature film.