Herbert von Karajan was one of the most charismatic artists of the 20th century. Richard Osborne knew him and had many conversations with him. These, however, were just the starting point for a biography based on interviews with those who worked with Karajan during his sixty-year career, as well as an extensive array of primary archival material that has never been examined before. This biography explores Karajan's life and music in the context of European music and politics from 1908 to 1989. The Austrian theater producer Otto Schenk once said of Karajan, 'He is not just a musician. He is an entire era. When I was a boy, it was already an era in our history.' This epic biography delves into that era and the enigma of the man who created it.