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.