In the Shadow of the Stars (1991)

Academy Awards, USA 1992

Won Oscar

Best Documentary, Features Allie Light Irving Saraf

First Run Features
Directed by Allie Light and Irving Saraf
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Docurama)

Members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus, not the leads, are the subject of this documentary. It turns out that these are mostly ordinary folks with an extraordinary passion for and dedication to their craft. I was struck by the image of a truck driver practicing while on the road. Then there is the story of the kid from the Bronx mugged three times by the age of 12, lucky to get out alive, much less end up singing for a living. One woman struggles between her desire for a home and family and the demands of living on the road. There is of course plenty of opera on display and by the end you will recognize many of the faces onstage during the performance, a uniquely satisfying experience.