Speaking in Strings

UPC: 767685947937

Studio: New Video Group

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:null

Summary: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is not the sort of person you might expect a world-renowned classical violinist to be; she likes to drink beer and shoot pool, she chain smokes cigarettes, she cracks a lot of jokes, and she is obsessed with Star Trek (especially Captain Kirk). She's also known for the extremely emotional nature of her performances, which have fascinated some audiences and enraged others. Speaking in Strings, directed by Paola di Florio (a longtime friend of the violinist), proves that's no accident. Prone to mood swings, Salerno-Sonnenberg discusses her bouts with depression and a suicide attempt; as well as a finger injury that nearly derailed her career; and her thoughts on the link between music and human emotions. A telling look at an unusual and compelling musician, Speaking in Strings premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Music [nf]

Awards: Best Documentary Feature – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Features: Biography of Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
Docurama previews
Interactive menu
Scene selection

Speaking in Strings

Format: DVD

Release Date: 06/26/2001

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, 2 Europe, Japan, Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland

Runtime: 75 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
0. Scene Selection
1. Trilogy of Life [4:56]
2. Musical Statement [2:29]
3. Humoresque [3:31]
4. The Performer [7:50]
5. The Competition [2:22]
6. Carnegie Hall [4:55]
7. Parental Influence [5:16]
8. Music is the Drug [9:25]
9. Tender Touch [7:46]
10. Passage of Time [7:17]
11. The Monster Within [9:05]
12. Taking a Bow [8:56]

Craig Butler

"I feel possessed when I play," Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg says in Speaking in Strings, the acclaimed documentary about this controversial violinist. Viewers may feel similarly possessed while watching this gripping, fascinating portrait of a woman with a spirit and personality that can fill any screen (or concert hall). Salerno-Sonnenberg is not always the easiest person to be around; she feels with an intensity that is sometimes frightening, and that intensity tends to envelop those around her, even extending off the screen to touch viewers. Such emotional honesty is daunting but also captivating, and it gives Strings the same character that marks Salerno-Sonnenberg's playing. Some viewers will possibly be turned off by this, just as some critics believe her playing to be distracting grandstanding. But there's no distance between the woman and her art, and so whether you love her or hate her, it's hard to take your eyes off of her. Director Paola di Florio has done an excellent job of capturing both the person and her music, blending the two into a portrait that is both illuminating and entertaining -- even for those for whom classical music is usually a bore. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg  Actor 
Lilibet Foster  Producer 
Paola di Florio  Director 
Paola di Florio  Producer 
Karen Childs  Composer (Music Score) 

Country: USA