Spend one of the last evenings of the summer enjoying a classic of silent cinema, scored live by a talented organist, chorus, and orchestra at the Spa Little Theater. The Saratoga Choral Festival will be presenting French director Carl Theodor Dreyer’s famous silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) on Saturday, September 14 at 7:30 pm.
Audiences will have the unique opportunity to see The Passion of Joan of Arc as it was intended, with the original version accompanied by the original score by Victor Alix and Leo Pouget, which isn’t usually performed.
For many years, the original version of the film (without the censorship later imposed on the film by the church and government) had been thought to be lost after the master negatives were destroyed in a fire. Canisters containing the original version were later found in Oslo and given to the Norwegian Film Institute in 1981.
The evening will feature guest artist Peter Krasinki, an internationally-recognized silent film organist, as well as chorus and orchestra members from the Albany Symphony. The scoring will be performed according to the Library of Congress’ records of the vocal and string parts of the original score, with recreated renditions of the wind parts.
The classic film, starring Renee Jeanne Falconetti, is based on the true story of Joan of Arc’s historical trial and execution.
The film will be preceded by an informational lecture at 6:45 pm at the Spa Little Theater.
Want to attend? Tickets are $30 for preferred seats, $20 for front sections, $20 for seniors, and free for kids 12 and under.
