13 Stunning Classical Music-Themed Movies You Must See

This list features beautiful movies that will immerse you in the world of classical music! Movies and classical music are two of the most profound cultural expressions that significantly impact people and resonate deeply with their souls. Movies captivate and entertain with their exceptional scripts and performances, while classical music nurtures the spirit and enhances creativity. Combining these two elements creates a powerful and moving experience.

To celebrate this fusion, we’ve curated a fantastic list under the title “Classical Music-Themed Movies.” Explore these movies that beautifully integrate the elegance and emotion of classical music. Here are the classical music movies you won’t want to miss!

Movie List Index

1.The Pianist

Classical Music-Themed Movies - The Pianist

The Pianist, featured on our list of classical music-themed movies, is based on a true story from World War II. Set in the dire circumstances of Nazi-occupied Poland, the movie chronicles the life of a renowned pianist who narrowly avoids being sent to a prison camp and struggles to survive amidst the squalor of the slums. Despite enduring humiliation and hunger along with the other residents, the pianist perseveres. When he eventually discovers an opportunity to escape, he makes his way to the ruins of the capital and receives help from an unexpected source. The cast includes Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, and Emilia Fox.

Information about The Pianist (2002):

Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox
Release Year: 2002
Duration: 150 minutes
Country: France, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom
Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Language: English, Polish, German
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Similar Movies: Schindler’s List (1993), Life is Beautiful (1997)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Pianist on IMDb

2.August Rush

13 Must-Watch Movies for Classical Music Lovers - August Rush

Evan, a musically gifted orphan, escapes from his orphanage and searches for his biological family in New York. During his journey, he is taken in by a homeless man who lives in an abandoned theater. As Evan’s musical talent leads him to significant success in New York, he also encounters various challenges. The cast includes Freddie Highmore, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams, and Keri Russell.

Information about August Rush (2007):

Director: Kirsten Sheridan
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams
Release Year: 2007
Duration: 113 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Drama, Family, Music
Language: English
Age Rating: PG
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Similar Movies: Once (2007), The Soloist (2009)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: August Rush on IMDb

3.The Soloist

The movie tells the true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic and homeless musician. Jamie Foxx stars as Nathaniel Ayers, while Robert Downey Jr. plays Steve Lopez, the journalist who discovers Ayers and writes about him. Directed by Joe Wright, known for movies like Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, this movie brings Ayers’ remarkable story to the screen.

Information about The Soloist (2009):

Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander
Release Year: 2009
Duration: 97 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Similar Movies: August Rush (2007), Shine (1996)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Soloist on IMDb

4.Amadeus

The movie, based on the play Amadeus and winner of 8 Oscars, explores the lives of Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who lived in 18th-century Vienna. This classic, featured in our list of classical music-themed movies, stars Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham, Elizabeth Berridge, and Cynthia Nixon.

Information about Amadeus (1984):

Director: Milos Forman
Cast: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Jeffrey Jones
Release Year: 1984
Duration: 160 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Similar Movies: The Pianist (2002), Shine (1996)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Amadeus on IMDb

5.Departures

Daigo, after purchasing an expensive cello, soon discovers that his orchestra is disbanding. Consequently, he returns to his hometown with his wife. With no prior experience in other professions, Daigo applies for a job he believes is at a travel agency, only to find out it is actually a role in preparing the deceased for their journey to the afterlife—a practice deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Initially, Daigo is reluctant and uncomfortable with the job, but over time, he becomes accustomed to it. His feelings, perspective, and life change profoundly through this work. The movie, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language movie, stars Masahiro Motoki, Ryôko Hirosue, and Tsutomu Yamazaki.

Information about Departures (2008):

Director: Yōjirō Takita
Cast: Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kimiko Yo
Release Year: 2008
Duration: 130 minutes
Country: Japan
Genre: Drama
Language: Japanese
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Similar Movies: Okuribito (2008), A Man Called Ove (2015)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Departures on IMDb

6.Kolya

Frantisek Louka, a bachelor and cello player at the Czechoslovakia State Conservatory, loses his job in the orchestra and begins performing at funerals to make ends meet. As his debts mount, a friend persuades him to marry a Russian woman. The woman marries Louka to gain Czech citizenship, but soon after, she abandons him and flees to West Germany with her lover. Louka is left to take care of the 5-year-old Kolja that she leaves behind. The movie, which is featured in our list of classical music-themed movies, won the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Foreign Language movie. The lead role is played by Zdeněk Svěrák.

Information about Kolya (1996):

Director: Jan Svěrák
Cast: Zdeněk Svěrák, Andrey Khalimon, Libuše Šafránková, Václav Koptík
Release Year: 1996
Duration: 105 minutes
Country: Czech Republic
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Language: Czech
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Similar Movies: The Chorus (2004), The Intouchables (2011)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Kolya on IMDb

7.The Concert

When former conductor Andrei Filipov gets the opportunity to reunite his orchestra, he seizes it with enthusiasm. The ensemble will travel to Paris for a single concert, presenting themselves as the Bolshoi Philharmonic. But Andrei’s mission in Paris extends beyond the concert; he also meets a woman he hopes will become his solo violinist. The cast includes Mélanie Laurent, Aleksei Guskov, and François Berléand.

Information about The Concert (2009):

Director: Radu Mihaileanu
Cast: Mélanie Laurent, Alexandre Tharaud, Dmitri Nazarov, François Berléand
Release Year: 2009
Duration: 118 minutes
Country: France, Belgium
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Language: French, Russian
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Similar Movies: The Chorus (2004), A Late Quartet (2012)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Concert on IMDb

8.The Legend of 1900

On January 1, 1900, a baby boy is discovered on a transatlantic ship carrying immigrants to America. The engineer who finds the baby adopts him and raises him. As he grows up, he becomes a musical genius, despite never having set foot on land. The cast of the movie includes Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Mélanie Thierry.

Information about The Legend of 1900 (1998):

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Cast: Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Mélanie Thierry, Jeremy Irons
Release Year: 1998
Duration: 169 minutes
Country: Italy
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Language: Italian, English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Similar Movies: Cinema Paradiso (1988), The Pianist (2002)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Legend of 1900 on IMDb

9.Shine

Shine, a 1996 Australian production on our list of classical music-themed movies, tells the dramatic life story of the famous pianist David Helfgott. Directed by Scott Hicks, the movie stars Geoffrey Rush as David Helfgott. Geoffrey Rush won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the movie.

Information about Shine (1996):

Director: Scott Hicks
Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Laura Linney, John Gielgud
Release Year: 1996
Duration: 105 minutes
Country: Australia, United States
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Similar Movies: The Pianist (2002), Amadeus (1984)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Shine on IMDb

10.A Late Quartet

Peter, a cello virtuoso with a remarkable musical career spanning 25 years, is forced to retire upon learning that he has Parkinson’s disease. He announces his retirement, and the repercussions are unexpectedly dramatic. The virtuoso’s decision shakes the balance within the band, threatening its future. Emotions and ego battles, long hidden, are poised to tear apart the band’s cooperation and friendships. Their final concert together promises to be both captivating and magnificent. The cast of the movie includes Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, and Imogen Poots.

Information about A Late Quartet (2012):

Director: Yaron Zilberman
Cast: Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir
Release Year: 2012
Duration: 105 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Drama, Music
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Similar Movies: The Concert (2009), August Rush (2007)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: A Late Quartet on IMDb

11.The Red Violin

The Red Violin, released in 1998, chronicles the adventures of a red violin crafted by a renowned violin maker in Italy during the 17th century. The movie follows the violin’s journey through the centuries up to the present day. The cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Carlo Cecchi, Irene Grazioli, and Don McKellar.

Information about The Red Violin (1998):

Director: François Girard
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Greta Scacchi, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Christopher Walken
Release Year: 1998
Duration: 131 minutes
Country: Canada, Italy
Genre: Drama, Music
Language: English, French, Italian, Mandarin
Age Rating: R
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Similar Movies: The Pianist (2002), Amadeus (1984)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Red Violin on IMDb

12.A Heart in Winter

Stéphane and Maxime are two friends working at a shop that specializes in making and repairing violins. Stéphane Auteuil is an introverted expert in violin repair, while Maxime is passionate and has a charismatic personality. Their lives take a turn when Maxime‘s new girlfriend, Camille, enters the scene, creating a love triangle between the two friends. The cast of the movie includes Emmanuelle Béart, Daniel Auteuil, and André Dussollier.

Information about A Heart in Winter (1992):

Director: Claude Sautet
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Béart, Michel Bouquet, André Dussollier
Release Year: 1992
Duration: 103 minutes
Country: France
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: French
Age Rating: PG-13
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube (Rental)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Similar Movies: The Piano (1993), Un Coeur en Hiver (1992)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: A Heart in Winter on IMDb

13.Hilary and Jackie

The movie, which explores the life of the famous cellist Jacqueline Du Pré, is divided into two parts. The first part is told from Hilary‘s perspective, while the second part presents the story from Jackie‘s viewpoint. The cast includes Rachel Griffiths and Emily Watson.