On August 21, 2005, 80 young musicians gave a memorable concert conducted by Daniel Barenboim: holding diplomatic passports provided by the Spanish government, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, whose members come from Israel, Palestine, and other countries of the Middle East, traveled to Ramallah, Palestine, to perform works by Mozart and Beethoven. Against all political, administrative, and ideological obstacles, this daring undertaking was a rousing success, an event that wrote music history.

ZDF and ARTE have produced a new film documentary that receives its premiere at the Pierre Boulez Saal prior to its mid-November TV release. Following the screening, director Anne-Kathrin Peitz and producer Claus Wischmann will talk with orchestra members Michael Barenboim and Tyme Khleifi about the making of the film and their memories of the Ramallah concert. Led by Michael Barenboim, the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble concludes the event with a performance of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Octet for Strings Op. 20.