De passie en de pijn

Cellists had better avoid Beethoven's Fidelio, violinists Lazarev's interpretations of Tchaikovsky and players of wind instruments symphonies by Mahler. These are risky pieces, as is demonstrated in the documentary Passion and Pain, directed by Noud Holtman. Musicians from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra discuss occupational injuries like frozen shoulders, hearing loss and torn muscle attachments. For some of them, an injury brings about an abrupt ending to their musical career, and so to their passion. They are shocked and indignant about the fact that it has to happen to them, of all people. It becomes painfully clear that they are badly informed about the hazards of their job or knowingly ignore them. The conversations with the musicians are alternated with images of medical examinations and impressions of rehearsals and performances, underlining the inevitability of physical misery.