‘Beauty and the Beast’ starts two-day run Saturday

“Beauty and the Beast” by Andr/ Modeste Gr/try opens in Tucson Saturday, March 3, for a two- performance run.

Based on the well-known fairy tale, the story has had recent successes on Broadway and in the Disney movie, but is less-well-known on the opera stage. In fact, there was no sign of it in the U.S. after its premiere in 1787 until 2005, when it had its renaissance in St. Louis.

It was the St. Louis Opera Theatre that approached Arizona Opera and subsequently Dallas for a joint production a few years ago. Given the economics of mounting expensive operas, companies increasingly cooperate for sharing of costs resulting in more spectacular and grand productions.

Caught at intermission of the recent Arizona Opera success “Madame Butterfly,” general and artistic director Joel Revzen explained “Beauty and the Beast's” selection in this year's five-opera season.

“When I began to research ‘Beauty’ following St. Louis's approach to us, I discovered that it was Mozart's favorite opera.” That was enough to send Revzen more deeply into the influence Gr/try's music must have had on Mozart. “I find many, many influences from this opera on Mozart,” Revzen said. “I think it had a tremendous impact on ‘Magic Flute.’” Gr/try, then, becomes an interesting precursor to next season's “Magic Flute” at Arizona Opera.

New, fairy tale translation

“Beauty” has been given a new English translation by director Colin Graham, set in couplets with almost child-like rhymes in keeping with the fairy tale basis of the work. Graham has retained the baroque style and has enhanced it with startling dancers in six foot headdresses.

The dancers are portrayed as birds, as is the Beast. Costumes and ballet are an integral part of the Opera Comique, and while the style went out of fashion after the French Revolution (Marie Antoinette is said to have loved this opera), it did return to the French repertoire with “Carmen.”

“Beauty and the Beast” is enjoyable on several levels from a child's fairy tale to an adult depiction of 18th century morality for young women who were taught to accept the husband selected for them by their parents and to base marriage on virtue and submission.

With its fantasy costumes and vivid dancing, the production promises to revitalize the composer's music to American audiences and justify Mozart's love of the piece.

Tickets for the Saturday night, March 3, and Sunday matinee, March 4, are available from Ticket Master (520) 321-1000. Subscriptions to Arizona Opera are available for the 2007-2008 season at (520) 2934336.

Dr. Behnke is a freelance writer for the Green Valley News and may be contacted at Donald.Behnke@yahoo.com