Earlier this year World Heart Beat Studios was used to film part of SKY ARTS one-off documentary Mozart: Genius for Hire.

Produced by David Harewood and Sabina Emrit Harper’s Section 52 Films, the documentary doesn’t just showcase Mozart’s music but explores his life through heartfelt readings of his personal letters. 

These letters, read by actor Matthew Broome, who voices Mozart’s letters and David Harewood his father, Leopold, offer a great insight into Mozart’s mind, his brilliance, and his humour.

“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”

Mozart letter to his father, 1781

Performances include Lacrimosa? by Danielle De Niese, a full version of Rondo in C major for Violin and Orchestra performed by Grammy-winning violinist Gil Shaham alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and piano pieces by Cyrill Ibrahim.

The project was filmed at World Heart Beat Studios by Italian DOP Paolo Pisacane.

Watch Mozart: Genius for Hire here