Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Sergiu Celibidache

Malkovich as Celibidache? The Bonkers “Yellow Tie”

You know it must be Celi, ‘cause jam don’t shake like that.

Back in 2021, I posted about plans for an unlikely biopic about Romanian maestro Sergiu Celibidache starring John Malkovich. Well, it looks like they went ahead and finished the thing. Written and directed by the conductor’s son, the film is called “The Yellow Tie.” It’s not difficult to understand why they’re not calling it “Celibidache,” as it would have English speakers everywhere struggling to remember the title and then mangling the pronunciation.

The trailer dropped this week. Since it employs music from Georges Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, and since today is Enescu’s birthday, here it is. Movies about musicians are seldom good, but the mere concept of Malkovich as Celibidache is so bonkers, you know I’ve got to see it.

Celibidache, one-time conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, gained notoriety for his uncompromising pursuit of “the transcendent moment,” his exhaustive rehearsals, and his refusal to record.

Of course, the market is flooded with Celibidache recordings, many of them from his years in Munich, but these are all byproducts of actual live concerts. Few of them could be described as pedestrian.

Equally, few would be described as “definitive.” When Celibidache was “on,” he could be like nobody else; but when he was “off” – again, he could be like nobody else.

In 2023, I shared news of Malkovich conducting an orchestra in front of 4000 extras in Bucharest, reenacting a 1989 concert that Celibidache gave in Philadelphia with the Munich Philharmonic. If that’s supposed to be the Academy of Music in the trailer, it will convince no concertgoing Philadelphian.

The film also stars Sean Bean as Celibidache’s father and Miranda Richardson as his wife, Ioana.

Of course, the most perfect title for John Malkovich fans would have been “Being John Malkovich Being Sergiu Celibidache.”

However, “The Yellow Tie” it is. The film is projected to be released this November.

The real Celi conducts Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7

Celi documentary, “The Garden of Celibidache”

Malkovich interviewed on Romanian television

Celibidache has a fever, and the only prescription is more viola!

August 19, 2025
Malkovich as Celibidache? “The Yellow Tie” Biopic

Haha! It looks like it’s actually on its way! A Sergiu Celibidache biopic starring who? Why, JOHN MALKOVICH, of course!

I first shared news of this in 2021, assuming of course that the film, being produced in Romania, would never happen. Then again, if it weren’t being produced in Romania – Celibidache’s homeland – where would it be?

Written and directed by the conductor’s son, Serge Ioan Celibidache, the title is “The Yellow Tie.” It’s not difficult to understand why they’re not calling it “Celibidache,” as it would have native English speakers everywhere trying to remember it and then grappling with the correct pronunciation (roughly “Cheh-lee-bee-DAH-keh.”).

Celibidache, one-time conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, gained notoriety for his uncompromising pursuit of “the transcendent moment,” his exhaustive rehearsals, and his refusal to record.

Of course, the market is flooded with Celibidache recordings, many of them from his years in Munich, but these are all byproducts of actual live concerts. Few of them could be described as pedestrian.

Equally, few would be described as “definitive.” When Celibidache was “on,” he could be like nobody else; but when he was “off” – again, he could be like nobody else.

Last year, I posted about Malkovich conducting an orchestra before 4000 extras in Bucharest, reenacting a concert that Celibidache gave in Philadelphia with the Munich Philharmonic in 1989.

Also in the film will be Sean Bean as (the younger) Celibidache’s father and Miranda Richardson as his wife, Ioana.

The release date is yet to be announced. I missed this article about it, which ran in Variety in May:

https://variety.com/2024/film/global/john-malkovich-celibidache-first-look-image-the-yellow-tie-1235996010/

Of course, the most perfect title for John Malkovich fans would be “Being John Malkovich Being Sergiu Celibidache.”

One of my earlier posts on the subject:

Celi conducts Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7

Celi documentary, “The Garden of Celibidache”

Malkovich interviewed on Romanian television

Celibidache has a fever, and the only prescription is more viola!

September 13, 2024
Malkovich Celibidache Film News & Pronunciation

With all the brouhaha surrounding Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein nose, it’s not even on most people’s radar yet that John Malkovitch is playing Romanian maestro Sergiu Celibidache. I’m not sure there’s enough make-up in the world to effect that transformation!

Celibidache, one-time conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, gained notoriety for his uncompromising pursuit of “the transcendent moment,” his exhaustive rehearsals, and his refusal to record.

Of course, the market is flooded with Celibidache recordings, many of them from his years in Munich, but these are all byproducts of actual live concerts. Few of them could be described as pedestrian.

Equally, few would be described as “definitive.” When Celibidache was “on,” he could be like nobody else; but when he was “off” – again, he could be like nobody else.

How do you even say his name? Repeat after me: Cheh-lee-bee-DAH-keh.

In June, Malkovich conducted an orchestra before 4000 extras in Bucharest, reenacting a concert that Celibidache gave in Philadelphia with the Munich Philharmonic in 1989. No word yet as to whether or not he’ll be donning a Shemp Howard wig.

“The Yellow Tie,” directed by Serge Ioan Celibidache, the conductor’s son, costars Miranda Richardson and Sean Bean. The film is expected to be released next year.

On Anton Bruckner’s birthday, Celi conducts the Symphony No. 7

Celi documentary, “The Garden of Celibidache”

Malkovich interviewed on Romanian television

Celibidache has a fever, and the only prescription is more viola!

September 4, 2023
Sergiu Celibidache Documentary & The Yellow Tie Film

For those of you without the slightest interest in our activities at Trekonderoga this weekend (running our tests now), here’s a documentary about the far-out conductor Sergiu Celibidache. In “The Garden of Celibidache” (1996), Celi conducts, mentors young talent, and, well, putters around in his garden.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Celibidache will be portrayed by John Malkovich in the upcoming film “The Yellow Tie,” which will be shot next year in the maestro’s native Romania.

That gives you plenty of time to learn how to pronounce his name. Repeat after me: Cheh-lee-bee-DAH-keh.

September 25, 2021
M

This is best news I had all weekend?

That John Malkovich will star in a film about the eccentric Romanian maestro Sergiu Celibidache. Celibidache, one-time conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, gained notoriety for his uncompromising pursuit of “the transcendent moment,” his exhaustive rehearsals, and his refusal to record.

Of course, the market is flooded with Celibidache recordings, many of them from his years in Munich, but these are all byproducts of actual live concerts. Few of them could be described as pedestrian.

Equally, few would be described as “definitive.” When Celibidache was “on,” he could be like nobody else; but when he was “off” – again, he could be like nobody else.

The film, titled “The Yellow Tie,” is scripted by Celi’s son. Shooting will begin in Romania early next year.

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/john-malkovich-the-yellow-tie-1235067250/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The venture is the latest in a spate of movies about conductors. In the past week or two, it was announced that Cate Blanchett will play (the fictional) Lydia Tár, the first woman to conduct a major German orchestra. The Dresden Philharmonic will participate in the film, in which Blanchett will be seen conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. The project is titled “TÁR.” Academy Award winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (“Joker”) will provide the film’s underscore.

https://theviolinchannel.com/cate-blanchett-plays-orchestra-music-director-in-upcoming-film/

And of course Bradley Cooper is headlining a Leonard Bernstein biopic, “Maestro,” initiated by Martin Scorsese, and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story” is due for release in theaters in December. It looks like “Maestro” quashed a rival Bernstein project, titled “The American,” that was to have starred Jake Gyllenhall, when the Bernstein estate opted to license Lenny’s music to Cooper, Scorsese, and Spielberg. Who could have seen that coming?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/dueling-bernstein-biopics-how-bradley-cooper-took-baton-jake-gyllenhaal-1112599/

Movies about classical music and musicians are notoriously weak. I’m not holding my breath, but I am hoping at least one of these gets it right.

Celibidache has a fever, and the only prescription is more viola!

September 20, 2021

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