For the New Year's Concerts in Vienna, the story of the most popular pieces of music.

The Blue Danube is in itself the expression of the universe of the waltz. None other than The Blue Danube can embody the essence of the waltz so eloquently and precisely in form and spirit. But can this alone suffice to explain the worldwide success this waltz has met with? Indeed not: the waltz is also popular for a certain amount of historical, diplomatic and political reasons. 

The film will guide us through the origins of this musical piece, its history and how it was miraculously saved from disappearance and will show us how, very early on, the waltz became part of History and has remained there ever since. Finally, we will illustrate its ever-growing success with specialists and the greater public alike.

A film written and directed by Pierre-Henry Salfati
Edited by Pascale Hannoyer and Dominique Barbier
With the voice of Marianne Anska
Photography: Christophe Petit
Sound: Dominique Davy and Herbert Verdino
Documentary film makers: Gianna Franceschini, Sharon Hammou, Mathilde Bracci-Guinard

A Compagnie des Phares & Balises and ARTE France coproduction
With the participation of the CNC and the NRK

National Broadcaster : ARTE France

International Sales:
NRK Norway
SVT Sweden
NHK Japan
RTP Portugal
Prava i Prevodi Serbia
RTVS Slovakia
DR K Danemark
ERT3 Greece
MBC Al Arabiya

© Cie des Phares & Balises – ARTE France -  2014