Description

by Philip Glass

Libretto by the composer

Based on the film by Jean Cocteau

featuring

Chea Kang, soprano (La Belle)

Hadleigh Adams, baritone (La Bête/Le Prince/Avenant)

Sophie Delphis, mezzo-soprano (Félicie/Adelaïde)

Aurelien Mangwa, baritone (Le Père/Ludovic/L’Usurier)

This astonishingly original presentation of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast blurs the distinctions between film and live opera, merging Jean Cocteau’s classic 1946 romantic fantasy with Philip Glass’ mesmerizing 1994 score. Glass composed the music as a new soundtrack to the film, transforming the original spoken French dialogue into sung libretto.

Now Opera Parallèle has responded to the dreamlike, subconscious elements of the story with its own new film and stage direction, further blurring the barriers between the characters onscreen and the singers on stage. The work asks, What is true beauty? What is good and evil? Can we go beyond appearances and discover the beauty that lies inside the soul?

“A multi-veined phantasmagoria of sights and sounds, drama and pathos and humor” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Performed in French with English subtitles

This performance is made possible in part by Bob Ellis, and is dedicated to his memory. Mr. Ellis was a thoughtful visionary and passionate champion of live performance who passed away in late 2025. Mr. Ellis made invaluable contributions to performing arts in the Bay Area throughout his life, including as a founding board member of Opera Parallèle and as a dedicated supporter and patron of Cal Performances.

Buy Tickets Here

Live audio description headsets are available for the Sat, Mar 14 performance. These services can be reserved when purchasing tickets online or by contacting the Ticket Office at 510.642.9988.