AIRED: PBS
AIRDATE: October 14, 1997

AWARDS RECEIVED

CINE
Golden Eagle
Producers: Catherine Tatge & Dominique Lasseur
1998

Playing With Fire: Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (1997)

Great, inspiring video for pianists and piano lovers alike!!, August 1, 2001 Reviewer: techno_angel from Bensalem, PA United States This video gives a very interesting, gripping insight into one of today's most reputable piano competitions. Some would say it is "THE COMPETITION"....and with good reason.

You will discover that the Van Cliburn competition is unique in that contestants have to prove their mettle in ALL aspects of piano performance. Aside from the usual solo, finger-busting recitals one expects from piano competitions, contestants have to perform chamber and orchestral music to test their abilities to work with other musicians. Their creativity and musical personalities are also exercised when a never-before-heard piece, specially commissioned for this competition, is placed on their hands for execution and interpretation.

This is a great video for all lovers of piano, pianists and non-pianists alike. Naturally, you will also see and hear a number of young, keyboard geniuses, some of whom have one or more CD's to their name today.

PLAYING WITH FIRE is a ninety minute documentary on the quadrennial Van Cliburn piano competition in Fort Worth, Texas. We wanted to capture the intensity and the beauty of the music played over a three week period by 35 of the best pianists in the world.

Our purpose was not so much to feature the "horse race" aspect of the competition, but to take time to know some of the competitors, to understand their passion and the pressures they must surmount to succeed. We initiated a special master class where conductor James Conlon introduced the finalists to the special challenges of working with other musicians and to the pleasures of partaking in "social" aspects of music making.

The main challenge for us was to produce a documentary that would appeal to music connoisseurs and novices, one that would stand apart from the five previous programs on the same competition.