Katia et Marielle Labèque, the famous pianist sister duo with a career spanning more than fifty years, release their new album dedicated to the music of Philip Glass, completing his operatic triptych composed between 1993 and 1996, based on the films by Jean Cocteau. After their much-acclaimed recording of Les Enfants Terribles in 2020, the pianists now present the remaining two works in the Cocteau Trilogy: Orphée and La Belle et la Bête, arranged by Glass’ music director Michael Riesman for Katia and Marielle Labèque. Katia and Marielle Labèque will be touring extensively throughout 2024 and performing the program in several markets, including France, Germany, UK and Ireland.

Celebrating the union of classical and jazz, LSO Live’s latest release encapsulates the very best of the two genres with an irresistible selection of works by Bernstein, Stravinsky and Golijov, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. Argentinian tango and jazz course through Golijov’s vibrant Nazareno. Superstar piano duo Katia and Marielle Labèque are flanked by brass, percussion and cello in this special arrangement for two pianos and orchestra by Gonzalo Grau.

The new recording captures the pianists’ special artistic relationship with Philip Glass – a follow-up to the Double Piano Concerto the composer dedicated to the sisters in 2015. They are known for the fusion and energy of their duet, pursuing a stunning career all around the world, supporting both the classical repertoire and the contemporary creation. Philip Glass’s music occupies a special place in Katia & Marielle Labèque’s creation since they are already dedicatees of his Double Concerto for two pianos. It’s the composer himself who chose to adapt his opera Les Enfants Terribles after Jean Cocteau’s novel for them, in a suite for piano duet.

This release by violinist Viktoria Mullova and pianist Katia Labèque (their labels, Labèque's KML and Onyx, which Mullova helped found) sees both these well-known artists stepping out from their usual roles. Mullova has been an impressive exponent of the major violin concertos who has moved into Baroque music in recent years with some success, while Labèque is known for her duo-piano work with sister Marielle (KML stands for Katia and Marielle Labèque). They fill their new roles not just adequately but spectacularly.

The keyboard aficionados from all over the world know that Katia and Marielle Labeque are the most famous pianistic duo on the international concert stage now. They have reigned supreme in the territory of the two keyboards repertoire for some three decades and still seem inexhaustible in musical resources when conveying its marvels…

The new recording captures the pianists’ special artistic relationship with Philip Glass – a follow-up to the Double Piano Concerto the composer dedicated to the sisters in 2015 Presenting the opera Les Enfants terribles arranged for piano duet, dedicated to Katia & Marielle Labèque, and Etudes No. 17 & 20.