Beauty and the Beast in martini-Park: A fairy tale of sound and light
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A fairy tale awakens in sound, light, and movement
On December 27, 2026, the Staatstheater Augsburg invites you to Philip Glass's opera Beauty and the Beast in the martini-Park. The famous story of Beauty and the Beast appears as a multi-layered music theater between fairy tale world, psychological chamber play, and surreal stage fantasy.
Philip Glass's minimal music meets Cocteau's film world
Philip Glass developed his opera from the screenplay of Jean Cocteau's iconic black-and-white film from 1946. The music replaces the original film soundtrack and translates the dialogues into precise singing lines. A constant, driving rhythm connects with shimmering sound colors and creates a strangely transcendent theatrical atmosphere.
A story about love, fear, and transformation
After Belle's father picks a rose in the Beast's castle garden, he is sentenced to death. Belle goes to the castle in his place. The Beast falls in love with her and asks for her hand, but Belle initially rejects him. Between threat, desire, and self-encounter, the drama unfolds a story about the power of looking behind the outer appearance.
Surreal images and gripping acting
Director Susanne Lietzow combines the fairy tale plot with a surreal video aesthetic. Aurel Lenfert's set design, Jasna Bošnjak's costumes, and Ron Heinrich's lighting design create a world between dream, film quote, and dark fantasy. Fairy-tale animal figures and magnificent costumes give the production a physical, sensual presence.
The fight choreography by Georges Khoukaz makes the bubbling of violence and despair visible. Luise von Garnier plays La Belle, and Wiard Witholt embodies the Bête. Under the musical direction of Domonkos Héja, the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra performs. The performance will take place in French with German surtitles.
A compact stage experience without intermission
The opera lasts about 90 minutes and will be performed without intermission. An introduction starts 30 minutes before the performance begins. The audience can expect a focused music theater experience where singing, minimal music, video, light, and movement merge into an atmospherically rich stage setting.
Conclusion: Fairy tale material as modern music theater
Beauty and the Beast combines familiar fairy tale motifs with the cool precision and hypnotic energy of Philip Glass's music. Those who want to experience opera as a total artwork of sound, body, space, and light will find an extraordinary encounter with a contemporary fairy tale in the martini-Park. Secure your ticket and experience the transformation live on stage.
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