“With Weill, you often have the feeling that he invented tonality for himself and also a harmonic language that is unique, i.e. not interchangeable at all. So Weill really is a millennial event in his own right.”
– HK Gruber, composer and singer

The documentary “Kurt Weill. From Dessau to Broadway” traces the eventful life of one of the most influential composers of the 20th century – from a Jewish cantor’s son in Dessau to a celebrated Broadway composer in New York.

The cinematic journey takes us to key places in his life and work: from Dessau and Leipzig, where works such as “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” caused political scandals, to New York, where Kurt Weill found a new home after fleeing the Nazis and continued to develop his musical language.

Contributors include musical star Ute Lemper, Weill biographers Jürgen Schebera, Elmar Juchem, Stephen Hinton and composer HK Gruber. They all provide insights into Weill’s artistic work, his role as an avant-gardist and emigrant – and his ability to rethink musical theater.

Weill’s work is still present today: “Die Moritat von Mackie Messer” has been interpreted countless times – from David Bowie, Milva and Sting to Tom Waits and Udo Lindenberg. His melodies have long since become part of the collective memory.

The production of schmidtFilm not only tells the biography of an extraordinary musician, but also sheds light on the political and cultural upheavals of a century – always in the mirror of his music.