At the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, Wings was named “Outstanding Picture.” Another film, Sunrise, was named “Best Unique and Artistic Picture.” The latter film also won Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Actress (Janet Gaynor – awarded Best Actress for three combined pictures back when actors were nominated for their body of work in a given year.) Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, though released after The Jazz Singer introduced sound in motion pictures, didn’t incorporate sound and/or music in quite the same way as the Jolson picture.
Enter composer Jeff Beal who has written a new score for choir and chamber orchestra. The Los Angeles Master Chorale will give the world premiere performance of his score on Sunday at Walt Disney Concert Hall with the film.
Beal is best known for his music for House of Cards. He’s also written music for the Ed Harris film Pollock, the documentary Blackfish, Al Pacino’s film Wilde Salome and more.
For this score, Beal employs 40 members of the LA Master Chorale. They will feature sopranos Holly Sedillos and Suzanne Waters and tenor Dermot Kiernan. Grant Gershon will lead the LA Master Chorale.
Then there’s the film itself. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans was directed by F.W. Murnau, who may best be known for the 1922 film Nosferatu.
Margaret Livingston lures a married man, George O’Brien, with promises of great passion and love – something he doesn’t seem to be getting from his wife, Gaynor. His wife gets suspicious at the same time this woman seems to be manipulating the man. (They do all have names like The Woman From the City, The Man, The Wife). Will married life win out over temporary passion? All will be revealed…by Sunrise.
For tickets go here.
Original poster art for Sunrise courtesy of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
