Orchestra of Exiles (in postproduction, completion May 2012)

Orchestra of Exiles is the story of an eccentric moral powerhouse of a man, a Polish Jew named Bronislaw Huberman who, in his time, was one of the most famous violinists in the world. After a 4-year odyssey, which culminated in 1936, he succeeded in creating a top-flight symphony orchestra in the desert outback of Palestine with the great Arturo Toscanini as its first conductor.
Huberman’s Jewish musicians were among the best players of Europe; they were escaping a world torn apart by anti-Semitism and Nazi aggression. Huberman’s selfless efforts ultimately saved almost 1000 Jews from the Holocaust and changed the landscape of cultural history.

The characters in this enthralling drama include villains and heroes of the 20th century: Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, renowned conductors Wilhelm Furtwangler and Arturo Toscanini, future head of state, Chaim Weizmann and the families of victimized Jewish musicians who made up the ranks of orchestras across central Europe. Even the most famous scientist in the world played a role - Albert Einstein.
In 1948, the orchestra Huberman created in 1936 changed its name to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the young Leonard Bernstein conducted the first moving concerts inaugurating the birth of the state of Israel.
Huberman’s emigrant musicians became the teachers of the next generation. Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Shlomo Mintz and many other Israeli artists are their legacy and are among the world’s cultural treasures today.
The love affair between Bernstein and the orchestra became legend and within 20 years he had made the Israel Philharmonic one of the great orchestras of the world. Under Zubin Mehta’s baton for the past 40 years, it is still so today.
Orchestra of Exiles is being written and directed by Oscar nominee Josh Aronson (“Sound and Fury”).
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has given this production its total support.

 

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