Tanglewood presents silent films at the Coolidge Corner Theatre

Sean Dudley, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Tanglewood Music Center (TMC), the prestigious summer academy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will present its renowned Silent Film Project next Tuesday, August 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the iconic Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, one of the most iconic art deco movie theaters in the Boston area.

The event, titled “An Evening of Silent Film with Tanglewood Music Center”, is a collaboration between TMC and the Tanglewood Learning Institute. The offering includes original music composed this summer by composition fellows Caio de Azevedo, Baldwin Giang, Liann J. Kang, Joshua Alvarez Mastel, and Sofía Rocha, performed live by conducting fellows and members of the New Fromm Players ensemble. The scores will accompany short silent films, from classic animations such as Mutt and Jeff, Felix the Cat and Koko the Clown, until the touching Falling Leaves (1912) by Alice Guy Blaché—one of the pioneers of film direction—and international newsreels from 1926.

“The Silent Film Project brings together composers, directors, and instrumentalists in an interdisciplinary exploration of film and original music. We are thrilled to share it with Boston audiences,” said Ed Gazouleas, director of the Tanglewood Music Center.

For her part, Katherine Tallman, executive director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, emphasized: “Film and music are inseparable. This program demonstrates the vitality of both arts, and we are excited to present it alongside such talented musicians.”

Entrances and accessibility

Tickets are $35 (general) and $32 for Coolidge members and can be purchased at coolidge.org. The theater offers mobility accessibility and options for those with hearing or visual impairments.

About the Coolidge Corner Theatre

Founded in 1933, the Coolidge is a landmark of American independent cinema, with curated programming and educational and cultural projects that attract more than 225,000 visitors annually.

About Tanglewood

Since 1937, Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and hosts one of the country's most prestigious music festivals, nestled in the heart of the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.