In 1979, as China re-opened its doors to the West, virtuosos Isaac Stern received an unprecedented government invitation to tour the country. This extraordinary experience became the landmark, Oscar-winning documentary From Mao to Mozart – a beautiful expression of two differing cultures brought together by the warmth and dedication of a great musician and humanitarian. During his month-long journey, Stern conveyed the inner life of Western music, which had only recently been made available at the end of the Cultural Revolution. From individual session and school visits to public performances, often with Chinese musicians, Stern established a warm contact with his hosts, “first as musicians, then as friends”. Some of the children he had taught have become master musicians themselves on the international scene. From Mao to Mozart is a heartwarming presentation of Isaac Stern’s incredible cultural odyssey.
