JUL 14-17 | PHILIP GLASS
Jul 14 - Jul 17, 2022
Miner Auditorium
For their latest collaboration and cultural happening co-presented with SFJAZZ, the Bay Area’s Opera Parallèle and an ensemble of world class musicians perform composer Philip Glass’s innovative 1994 chamber opera La Belle et la Bête.
A uniquely cinematic blend of live music and film, the opera is synchronized to a screening of director and poet Jean Cocteau’s classic 1946 film version of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s 18th century fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, replacing the soundtrack with Glass’ original score. For this production, Glass’ entrancing music is performed by a quartet of vocalists backed by three keyboardists and the Bay Area’s phenomenal MANA saxophone quartet.
The libretto, adapted by the composer from the film’s screenplay, is timed precisely and sung to match the characters’ spoken dialog, creating a seamless and modern expression of Villeneuve’s timeless fable of love and loss that gives new dimension to Cocteau’s unforgettable visuals. Called “one of the most magical of all films” by critic Roger Ebert, Cocteau’s film features singular performances by Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais as the Beast.
With this production Opera Parallèle will become the first company to present performances of all three operas Glass wrote in homage to Cocteau, having performed Orphée in 2011 and Les Enfants Terribles in 2017.
A uniquely cinematic blend of live music and film, the opera is synchronized to a screening of director and poet Jean Cocteau’s classic 1946 film version of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s 18th century fairy tale Beauty and the Beast
Decades after its creation, Philip Glass' La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) retains its power to amaze and enchant an audience
San Francisco Chronicle
Decades after its creation, Philip Glass' La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) retains its power to amaze and enchant an audience
San Francisco Chronicle
Personnel
Vanessa Becerra soprano
Hadleigh Adams baritone
Sophie Delphis soprano
Eugene Brancoveanu baritone
The MANA Quartet
Michael Hernandez soprano saxophone
Michael Mortarotti alto saxophone
Eric Barreto-Maymi tenor saxophone
Thomas Giles baritone saxophone
Keysuke Nakagoshi keyboards
Kevin Korth keyboards
Jaymes Kirksey keyboards
Nicole Paiement conductor
Brian Staufenbiel director
Jessica Bejarano assistant conductor
Yayoi Kambara assistant director, choreographer
David Murakami media designer
Alina Bokovikova costume designer
Mextly Couzin lighting designer
This genre-spanning adaptation of the classic Jean Cocteau film is yet more evidence of Glass' ability to spin beauty in rare and unexpected ways
San Francisco Chronicle
Personnel
Vanessa Becerra soprano
Hadleigh Adams baritone
Sophie Delphis soprano
Eugene Brancoveanu baritone
The MANA Quartet
Michael Hernandez soprano saxophone
Michael Mortarotti alto saxophone
Eric Barreto-Maymi tenor saxophone
Thomas Giles baritone saxophone
Keysuke Nakagoshi keyboards
Kevin Korth keyboards
Jaymes Kirksey keyboards
Nicole Paiement conductor
Brian Staufenbiel director
Jessica Bejarano assistant conductor
Yayoi Kambara assistant director, choreographer
David Murakami media designer
Alina Bokovikova costume designer
Mextly Couzin lighting designer
This genre-spanning adaptation of the classic Jean Cocteau film is yet more evidence of Glass' ability to spin beauty in rare and unexpected ways
San Francisco Chronicle
Watch & Listen
Philip Glass
Ouverture
Philip Glass
Le Dîner
Philip Glass
Ouverture
Philip Glass
Le Dîner