Opera UCLA to World Premiere ‘Cesare, Child of Night’

By Francisco Salazar

Opera UCLA is set to world premiere “Cesare, Child of Night” from Composer and Film/TV Orchestrator Jonathan Beard in a production directed by Emmy-nominated director and Editor Stewart Schill.

“Cesare, Child of Night” is a one-act electroacoustic opera based on the 1920 German silent horror film “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” The score is infused with several broad musical interests pulled into one whole, including early 20th century modernist and cabaret elements, contemporary sound design, cinematic DNA, asymmetric electronic grooves, and an adventurous orchestration.

The opera also contains subtle “signifiers” from the music of that era combined with contemporary operatic techniques and sound design.

The work will have its world premiere on Oct. 31 via a virtual online live stream.

Schill will draw upon footage from the original “Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” silent film, re-edited to accompany the revised narrative.

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