Subscribe

The Augarten was not merely a picturesque garden. Established as a public park in 1775 by Emperor Joseph II, it was one of the first civic green spaces in Europe. At its entrance, an inscription still proclaims it a place “Allen Menschen gewidmeter Erlustigungs-Ort von ihrem Schätzer.” The translation is eloquent: Place of recreation dedicated to all people by their admirer.

The official story says his father migrated with him and his brother Frederick Jr., eventually landing as musicians in the House of Esterházy, some 30 miles from Vienna. But nothing is ever said about why they would leave what some imagine as a cozy, romantic enclave in the heart of Galicia in the first place. From Rita Dove’s Sonata.

It feels profoundly meaningful to reunite with Rita after all these years — to extend the conversation that began in Rita Dove: An American Poet into a new creative horizon. Much has changed since we first filmed together, but the essence remains: a shared belief that art — whether written, sung, or filmed — has the power to make history visible and to make the invisible resonate.

This post draws on recent scholarly analysis of Haydn's employment contracts and Rita Dove's groundbreaking work in "Sonata Mulattica" to explore the intersection of servitude, genius, and race in classical music history.

Poet Rita Dove's visit to George Bridgetower's catacombs inspires a new documentary exploring the forgotten violinist who once performed with Beethoven. Poet Rita Dove once descended into a London catacombs to pay respects to George Bridgetower, the brilliant violinist whose collaboration with Beethoven has been largely erased from history. Her pilgrimage, recount

A mysterious letter arrives from Berlin, sent by Albert Imhoff, a blind critic and old friend of the filmmaker's father. Discover his profound analysis of the documentary "Rita Dove: An American Poet," a journey through memory, the "American dream", and the poet's quest to find a "different way out".

We're thrilled to announce our upcoming documentary project that promises to be one of our most ambitious and compelling films yet. Following the success of our previous collaboration on "Rita Dove: An American Poet," we're reuniting with the legendary poet laureate Rita Dove to bring her critically acclaimed work "Sonata Mulattica" to cinematic life.