The Greek-born conductor Teodor Currentzis, renowned for his radical interpretations and unconventional performance styles, is set to make his first-ever visit to South Korea this November. However, behind his celebrated podium career lies a lesser-known chapter: he is also a lead film actor. Rather than making a brief cameo, Currentzis starred as the brilliant Soviet physicist Lev Landau in the film "DAU," directed by Ilya Khrzhanovsky, which won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 12 (local time).

Running 195 minutes, "DAU" draws inspiration from the life of Lev Landau, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1962. Spanning the years 1928 to 1968, the film follows the genius physicist as he is conscripted by the state to work on nuclear weapons development, navigating the intricate tensions between science, state power, and individual freedom. His personal life, including his marriage, forms another core narrative thread of the movie.

Khrzhanovsky initiated this monumental project in 2006, with his connection to Currentzis beginning just a year prior. According to a January 2019 report by the British newspaper The Guardian titled "The Stalinist Truman Show," the two first met in Moscow in 2005, where Khrzhanovsky offered the physicist role to Currentzis, who was 33 years old at the time.

When asked why he chose a conductor over a professional actor, the director explained that he was fascinated by the essence of genius, viewing geniuses as ancient heroes touched by divine gifts. Khrzhanovsky noted that Currentzis possesses a natural quality of genius that no professional actor could ever replicate. During a press conference at the Venice News on September 9, the director further remarked that Currentzis did not merely play Lev Landau, but rather existed authentically within the very situations of "DAU."

What began as a conventional biographical film gradually evolved into a massive, multi-disciplinary project combining cinema, visual art, anthropology, architecture, and live performance. In 2009, a massive set replicating a Soviet-era secret research facility was constructed in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Real scientists, artists, and participants from various backgrounds moved into the compound, wearing period-appropriate clothing and living out their daily routines. Currentzis participated in filming for about a year and continued to live and work intermittently at the complex over the next two years, often staying inside for days or weeks at a time.

Principal photography took place between 2008 and 2011, resulting in approximately 700 hours of raw footage. Rather than being released as a single film right away, this vast archive was split into multiple standalone projects. One such work, "DAU. Natasha"—which depicts a café worker at the secret facility who becomes romantically involved with a foreign scientist and subsequently faces surveillance and interrogation by state security—was invited to the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020. The feature film "DAU," showcased at this year's Venice festival, serves as the centerpiece of the entire project, re-editing historical footage alongside newly integrated scenes into a 195-minute cinematic experience.

The project has not been without controversy outside of the screen. When "DAU" was selected for the competition section of the Venice International Film Festival, the Ukrainian government raised objections, pointing to historical financial and institutional ties between the project, Russian capital, and state agencies. Critics also highlighted Currentzis’s background, noting that he has held Russian citizenship and has previously received support from Russian state-backed financial institutions and cultural agencies.

Khrzhanovsky has consistently voiced his opposition to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Having renounced his Russian citizenship, he currently lives in exile in Germany. Speaking at a press conference during the festival, the director stated that everyone must bear responsibility for their choices, lives, and destinies, while praising Currentzis as one of the greatest conductors of our time. He added that he hopes the Ukrainian government does everything in its power to save the nation, win the war, and achieve peace and success.

Despite nearly two decades of production challenges and political controversies, "DAU" triumphed at the Venice International Film Festival. The unusual cinematic experiment, into which a thirty-something Currentzis poured his energy to become Landau, has finally emerged from its long journey to shine on the international stage.

On the heels of this milestone, Teodor Currentzis will make his long-awaited South Korean debut on November 17 and 18, leading the Utopia Orchestra—an ensemble he founded in 2022. Comprising top-tier musicians handpicked from around the globe, the project-based collective will perform a powerful program featuring Stravinsky’s "The Rite of Spring," Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, and Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul.

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