Also: “The Culture Week” – on March 17th from 9:05 a.m. on ORF 2
Vienna (OTS) – The “matinee” on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 9:05 a.m. on ORF 2 will first remember “Sir Peter Ustinov – citizen of the world and universal genius” on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his death and then tell “On Broadway – The success story of a theater mile” (9:50 p.m.) over New York’s Broadway, whose aura continues to stand for outstanding productions and global hits. The ORF cultural morning presented by Teresa Vogl ends with “The Culture Week” (10.45 a.m.) with reports and tips on current cultural events.
“Sir Peter Ustinov – global citizen and universal genius” (9:05 a.m.)
20 years ago, on March 28, 2004, Sir Peter Ustinov died. The gifted actor, Oscar winner, brilliant director, outstanding writer and humanitarian was in a class of his own. A stroll through his work shows how rich the cultural treasure is that he left for posterity. Using numerous film clips and private photos, three British Ustinov experts – film critics Ian Nathan and Neil Norman and author Stephen Armstrong – review the acting work of the universal genius in Lyndy Saville’s documentary. They tell of Peter Ustinov’s artistic beginnings, the highlights of his career up to his last role in 2003 as Frederick the Wise in “Luther”.
Ustinov was born with cosmopolitanism. He combined Russian, German, French, Swiss, Italian and Ethiopian roots and was a British and later Swiss citizen throughout his life. During the Second World War, the convinced pacifist served in the British military’s film unit and gained his first experience with the medium there. Later he staged operas, was a set designer, a painter, made documentaries, wrote plays, screenplays, novels and his memoirs. He also worked as a UNICEF ambassador, campaigned for a better future for children with his “Peter Ustinov Foundation” and built an international network to research prejudices.
His communication talent is legendary. He was fluent in six languages, and dialects and accents were among his specialties. This gift alone predestined Ustinov for his success as an actor and his diverse roles. His international breakthrough came in 1951 as Emperor Nero in “Quo Vadis”. For his roles in the monumental film “Spartacus” (1960) and the thriller “Topkapi” (1964), he was honored with an Oscar for best supporting role. In the 1970s he played his way into the hearts of audiences as detective Hercule Poirot in several Agatha Christie film adaptations – his most famous case: “Death on the Nile”.
“On Broadway – The success story of a theater mile” (9:50 a.m.)
For generations it has been the center of American pop culture and a real magnet for theater and musical fans from all over the world: Broadway. In his documentary, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Oren Jacoby takes a look at the long tradition of the famous theater mile and its cultural relevance. It is the surprising story of an industry that was on the verge of collapse and was not only able to avoid collapse, but also managed to reinvent itself and emerge stronger from the crisis.
In the 1970s, Broadway was on the verge of bankruptcy: there was talk of tearing down all the theaters and replacing them with parking lots. The plays shown on the stages seemed old-fashioned and audience numbers fell by more than 50 percent within five years. Many of the large theaters remained closed because the theater owners could no longer pay their bills. The area around Broadway was so dangerous that police urged passers-by to avoid the area after sunset.
The documentary offers an extraordinary opportunity to meet the actors, directors, producers and dramaturgs who are the heart and soul of US theater. They talk about the remarkable changes they have helped initiate or witnessed over the past five decades. She follows the groundbreaking works and artists who made Broadway a place where you can find everything from the experimental and iconoclastic to the mainstream and commercial.
The film explores the evolution of theater from its beginnings in the 18th century to the present, showing how Broadway became synonymous with world-class stage productions and live entertainment. Stars of theater and screen such as Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren, Alec Baldwin, Christine Baranski, James Corden, John Lithgow and Ian McKellen take behind-the-scenes tours of Broadway’s most groundbreaking and beloved shows, from “A Chorus Line” to “Cats” to “Hamilton.” “.