Haydn: The Creation (Bernstein) (2009): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2009, Haydn: The Creation (Bernstein) is a notable film directed by Humphrey Burton.

What it’s about. Haydn’s Creation, the culmination of his life’s work, in a legendary 1986 performance conducted by Leonard Bernstein in the exquisite Baroque splendor of the Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren, Bavaria, now available on DVD for the first time. This spectacular performance also includes Bernstein’s spoken introduction to the performance —always an invaluable addition to any concert. This work, considered by many to be Haydn’s masterpiece, depicts the creation of the world as inspired by the texts of Genesis, the Book of Psalms and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Though deeply religious in conception, the oratorio gives a physical sense of the immensity of nature and the world’s creation. “The Creation gives us time to remember—and rejoice in— the purity and grace and fortitude of Nature, to restore our souls, to recover our moral strength, and to rediscover our power to praise”—Leonard Bernstein

Who’s in it. Haydn: The Creation (Bernstein) stars Judith Blegen, Lucia Popp, Thomas Moser and Kurt Ollmann, among others.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Haydn: The Creation (Bernstein) page.