Franz Liszt. Dreams of love
Encyclopedia
Szerelmi álmok – Liszt (English: Dreams of Love – Liszt, also known in English as The Loves of Liszt) is a Hungarian-Soviet epic musical/drama produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Márton Keleti
Márton Keleti
Márton Keleti was a Hungarian film director. He directed 50 films between 1937 and 1973.-Selected filmography:* Franz Liszt. Dreams of love * Two Confessions * Kiskrajcár...
, based on the biography of Austrian-Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
.
While the movie was criticized for some of its historical inaccuracies, its epic scope and intense scenes of virtuoso musical performances won wide praise and has been credited with affecting the cultural landscape of the 1970s Eastern Europe.
Plot summary
An epic film about the Austrian-Hungarian virtuosoVirtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
. He is an international star giving performances all over Europe and goes on a concert tour to St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia. Liszt's brilliant piano playing impressed the Russian royalty and aristocracy. Even the Russian Tsar stops talking when Liszt plays his piano. Liszt becomes a friend of the Russian composer Glinka
Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka , was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition within his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music...
. Liszt's beautiful music touches everyone's heart. Women are pursuing him and his lengthy affair with countess Marie d'Agoult
Marie d'Agoult
Marie Catherine Sophie de Flavigny, Vicomtesse de Flavigny , was a French author, known also by her married name and title, Marie, Comtesse d'Agoult, and by her pen name, Daniel Stern....
is in trouble.
In Russia, Liszt meets the beautiful Princess Carolyne
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was a Polish noblewoman who pursued a 40-year liaison/relationship with Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist and it is conjectured that she did much of the actual writing of several of Liszt's publications, especially his Life of Chopin...
, they fall in love, and she soon leaves her husband for Liszt. She becomes a muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
and inspiration for Liszt, and his last and strongest love. Inspired by his love for Carolyne, Liszt creates the most beautiful romantic piano composition, "Liebestraum
Liebesträume
Liebesträume , is a set of three solo piano works by Franz Liszt, published in 1850. Liszt called each of the three pieces Liebesträume, but often they are referred to incorrectly in the singular as Liebestraum...
" (also known as "Dream of Love") dedicated to her, and the piece becomes a classic hit. But the church does not allow Liszt to marry Carolyne, because she could not terminate her first marriage. The unmarried couple moves to the city of Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, where Liszt becomes the music director for the royal orchestra. This becomes the most productive and happy period in Liszt's life.
The brilliant pianist and composer Franz Liszt becomes a superstar. He tours many countries and makes people happy with his music, albeit his love life is in trouble. Carolyne cannot terminate her marriage while her husband is alive. Her relatives are against Liszt. She and Liszt remain unmarried, and Liszt suffers from emotional pain until the end of his life. Being loved by the public, Liszt is never really happy in his personal life, so he expresses himself making beautiful music.
Cast
- Imre SinkovitsImre SinkovitsImre Sinkovits was a Hungarian actor.-Awards:*Kossuth Prize *Mari Jászai Award *Kazinczy Award...
– LisztLisztLiszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt... - Ariadna ShengelayaAriadna ShengelayaAriadna Shengelaya is a Soviet actress. She appeared in 33 films between 1957 and 1997. She was married to the Georgian film director Eldar Shengelaya from 1957 to 1980....
– CarolyneCarolyne zu Sayn-WittgensteinCarolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was a Polish noblewoman who pursued a 40-year liaison/relationship with Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist and it is conjectured that she did much of the actual writing of several of Liszt's publications, especially his Life of Chopin... - Sándor PécsiSándor PécsiSándor Pécsi was a Hungarian actor. He appeared in over 60 films between 1948 and 1972.-Selected filmography:* Különös házasság * Liliomfi * The Golden Head...
– Belloni - Klara LuchkoKlara LuchkoKlara Stepanivna Luchko was a Soviet, Russian and Ukrainian actress known for her roles in the Soviet cinema.She received the title of People's Artist of the USSR, the highest honour that could be bestowed to a cinema artist, awarded to her in 1978....
– Marie d'AgoultMarie d'AgoultMarie Catherine Sophie de Flavigny, Vicomtesse de Flavigny , was a French author, known also by her married name and title, Marie, Comtesse d'Agoult, and by her pen name, Daniel Stern.... - Igor DmitrievIgor DmitrievIgor Borisovich Dmitriev was a Russian film and theater actor who specialized in playing aristocratic characters in costume productions ....
– Wittgenstein - Larissa Trembovelskay – Lola MontezLola MontezEliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld , better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal...
- Irina Gubanova – Olga Janina
- Tamás Major – Pope Pius IX
- Klári TolnayKlári TolnayKlári Tolnay was a Hungarian actress.-Life:Klári Tolnay was born on 17 July 1914 in Budapest, as the daughter of István Tolnay and Eleonóra Siess. She spent her childhood in the small village of Mohora, Nógrád county, on the estate of her father...
– Cosima - Lajos Básti – Ágost Trefort, minister of culture
- Ferenc BessenyeiFerenc BessenyeiFerenc Bessenyei was a Hungarian actor. He appeared in 75 films between 1920 and 2001. He was also the husband of Hédi Váradi.-Selected filmography:* Kiskrajcár * The Brute...
– Vörösmarty - Ádám Szirtes – Miska
- Petr ShelokhonovPetr ShelokhonovPetr Illarionovich Shelokhonov, was a Russian actor and director, designated Honorable Actor of Russia .-Childhood:Petr Shelokhonov was born in 1929, in Belarus, then a part of the Soviet Union; Peter Larionovich Shelokhonov...
– GlinkaMikhail GlinkaMikhail Ivanovich Glinka , was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition within his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music...
, Russian composer - Sándor Suka – Haydn, Austrian composer
- Natalya Baytalskaya
- Gennadi Bednostin
- Tibor Bitskey
- Kornél Gelley
- Peter Huszti
- Sergei Ivanov
- György Kálmán
- Sergei Karnovich-Valua
- Zsolt Kocsy
- Ivan Kolejev
- Valentin Kulik
- Vasili Leonov
- Gábor Mádi Szabó
- László Márkus
- Sergei Polezhayev
- Emmanuil Shvartsberg
- Anatoli Shvedersky
- Bertalan Solti
- Vera Szemere
- Géza Tordy
- Marina Yurasova
- Éva Ruttkai (voice dubbing for the character of Carolyne in the Hungarian version)
- Ildikó Pécsi (voice dubbing for the character of Lola Montez in the Hungarian version)
Production
- This is a joint Hungarian-Soviet production of MAFILM Studio 3 and Lenfilm Studio.
- Production dates: 1968–1970.
- Filmed in the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, East Germany and HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. - Liszt's historic performance in Russia was filmed at St. Petersburg Bolshoi Philharmonic Hall.
- Sviatoslav RichterSviatoslav RichterSviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...
plays piano for the character of Liszt, including études and the famous "LiebestraumLiebesträumeLiebesträume , is a set of three solo piano works by Franz Liszt, published in 1850. Liszt called each of the three pieces Liebesträume, but often they are referred to incorrectly in the singular as Liebestraum...
". - The Hungarian version runtime is 174 minutes.
- The Soviet version is reduced down to 150 minutes, with some scenes deleted.
- The American version is reduced to 130 minutes, with many scenes deleted.
- Released in 1970 in Hungary and the Soviet Union.
- Released on September 29, 1972, in Finland, and in December 1975, in the USA.