Release Date

01 Feb, 1944

Runtime

00:31: (HH:MM)

Synopsis

Commissioned by the U.S. Office of War Information, this short film features conductor Arturo Toscanini leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra, tenor Jan Peerce, and the Westminster Choir in Verdi’s Inno delle nazioni. Originally composed in the 1860s as a musical tribute to Europe, Toscanini expanded the score to include The Star-Spangled Banner and The Internationale in honor of the Allied struggle and Italian partisans. Filmed in NBC’s Studio 8H, the documentary interweaves performance with scenes of Toscanini at home, emphasizing his anti-fascist stance and celebrating the liberation of Italy. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.

Original Title

Hymn of the Nations

Photos

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Actors

Arturo Toscanini

Jan Peerce

Burgess Meredith

Walfredo Toscanini

Knox Manning

The Westminister Choir

Crew

Irving Lerner

Alexander Hammid

Arrigo Boito

May Sarton

Irving Lerner

Boris Kaufman