In March 1987, pianist Vladimir Horowitz embarked on an
extraordinary project. For the first time in 35 years, he
agreed to record with a symphony orchestra in a studio.
He chose the conductor, Carlo Maria Giulini, the orchestra,
the La Scala Philharmonic, and the location, the Abanella
recording studio of La Scala in Milan. Horowitz steadfastly
refused to allow the month-long sessions to be filmed, until
the evening before the last scheduled session when he
unexpectedly changed his mind. His manager, Peter Gelb,
immediately telephoned Albert Maysles and Susan Froemke
in New York, the co-filmmakers of "Vladimir Horowitz:
The Last Romantic." That same night, the Maysles film
crew flew from New York.