Philip Glass: Cocteau Trilogy

Legendary sibling pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque present their recent collaboration with American minimalist composer Philip Glass: arrangements for two pianos of his Cocteau Trilogy.

In 2021, Katia and Marielle Labèque created instrumental suites for two pianos from Philip Glass’s opera Les Enfants Terribles, based on Jean Cocteau’s film. The result was so successful that they approached Glass to complete the set with the remaining two operas in the Cocteau Trilogy: Orphée and La Belle et la Bête. In a special collaboration with the Philharmonie de Paris, Katia and Marielle Labèque bring their ‘velveteen touch’ (Guardian) into a new dimension: suspended above the stage, a chandelier transports us to the intimate spaces within Cocteau’s stories, lighting up as it interacts with the music below.

Working in harmony with Glass’s music and the lighting design is a fragrance design by Maison Francis Kurkdjian. Francis Kurkdjian has created three bespoke fragrances which are diffused in the hall during the performance.

Tagged with: Classical music Barbican Presents

Please note, this performance contains curated scents diffused in the air.

This performance will finish at approximately 9.50pm, including a 20-minute interval

Co-produced by the Barbican, Philharmonie de Paris, National Concert Hall – Dublin, Cité Musicale – Metz, Opéra National de Bordeaux, La Comète – Scène Nationale de Châlons-en-Champagne, Les Nuits de Fourvière.

‘The Labèque sisters are tremendous. They’re great performers, and great interpreters. And they’re wonderful supporters of music – not only modern music, but just music. It was great to work with them‘

Philip Glass

Digital programme