“Jean Cocteau has always been an artist whose work was central to the modern art movement of the twentieth century. More than any other artist of his time, he again and again addressed questions of art, immortality and the creative process…
“Blood of a Poet, Orphée, and LA BELLE ET LA BÊTE are all extremely thoughtful and subtle reflections of the life of an artist… La Belle is the most openly allegorical in style. Presented as a simple fairy tale, it soon became clear that the film had taken on a broader and deeper subject: the very nature of the creative process…
“The chateau itself is then seen as the very site of the creative process where, through an extraordinary alchemy of the spirit, the ordinary world of imagination takes flight.” — Philip Glass*
This weekend, the L.A. Opera presents three performances of Glass’ remarkable transformation of Cocteau’s 1946 masterpiece, which jettisons the film’s original score and dialogue. Glass’ 1994 soundtrack will be performed by his ensemble, and sung onstage by Gregory Purnhagen (la Bête), Hai-Ting Chinn (Belle), Marie Mascari (Félicie, and Adélaïde) and Peter Stewart (le père, and Ludovic). Michael Riesman conducts.
LA BELLE ET LA BÊTE
Saturday, October 28, at 8 pm. Tickets include admission to Beastly Ball.
Sunday, October 29, at 2 pm.
Tuesday, October, 31, at 8 pm. Tickets include after-party and costume contest.
THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL, 929 South Broadway, downtown Los Angeles.
laopera.org/season/1718-Season/Belle
Tonight, join Philip Glass in performance and conversation at Whittier College.
AN EVENING WITH PHILIP GLASS, Thursday, October 26, at 7:30 pm.
WHITTIER COLLEGE, 13406 East Philadelphia Street, Whittier.
shannoncenter.org/realnewmusic_glass.htm
*See artsmeme.com/2014/04/29/philip-glass-on-cocteaus-la-belle-et-la-bete
