Opera San Luis Obispo bringing three performances of Disney musical ‘Beauty and the Beast’

This is the first opera company on the West Coast to produce a Disney musical at a grand scale

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Opera San Luis Obispo, one of four Grand Opera producing companies in California, announces its full production of the Disney musical “Beauty and the Beast” with three performances on Mother’s Day Weekend: Saturday, May 11, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday (Mother’s Day) at 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, on the campus of Cal Poly. This event is intended for audiences of all demographics, ages, and especially families with children.

This performance marks the first “grand production” of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (which should not be confused with the opera of the same title by Phillip Glass) in addition to the first opera company on the West Coast to produce a Disney musical at a grand scale.

An all-star cast is led by Hillary Maiberger as Belle from the national and international Broadway tours, and Grammy Award winner John Laird as Cogsworth. Additional cast from across the US include Grant Garry (Beast), Eric McConnell (Gaston), Aaron Ellis (LeFou), Mandi Barrus (Mrs. Potts), Greg Gorrindo (Lumiere), Zanna Wyant (Babette), Eva Alhade (Chip), and Jim Brescia (Mosier D’Arque). The production features expansive sets, vivid costumes, magical effects, and a cast of over 100. OperaSLO’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is stage-directed by Zach Johnson, choreographed by Drew Silvaggio, with the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra conducted by Brian Asher Alhade.