“The challenge to me was to create music worthy of the greatest masterpiece of author/artist Jean de Brunhoff. I composed one scene for each of the 46 illustrations of the book, with music as wide-ranging as this humorously wild story. And then to create the multimedia that both respects the original and enhances the immersion in this magical world of music-as-theater. The Berliner Philharmoniker’s staff and crew compared the experience to a film being edited in real time. And as all of the diverse aspects of the production were assembled, everyone expressed both surprise and pleasure how everything ‘fit’ together. I challenge anyone to experience my “Travels of Babar” without at least a smile!” — Raphael Mostel
“Babar is at the very heart of my conception of what turns a picture book into a work of art. My favorite among Jean’s books, “The Travels of Babar” is full of alarming and very amusing twists of fate…dazzling, dramatic… Beneath the pure fun, the originality of style, and the vivacity of imagination is a serious and touching theme: a father writing to his sons and voicing his natural concern for their welfare, for their lives… Jean’s bequest to his family, and the world, shines from the books.” — Maurice Sendak
Laurent de Brunhoff (eldest son of Jean de Brunhoff, and himself author/artist of almost 50 subsequent Babar books) celebrating with composer Raphael Mostel after U.S. Premiere performance of the new full production of the complete original, 8-musician version of “The Travels of Babar / Le Voyage de Babar”
At Florence Gould Hall, French Institute Alliance Française, New York City, November 2, 2019
Photo: Bonnie Stein
Alan R Kay conducting prior, non-HD production at Florence Gould Hall - photo: Jay Muhlin for Source Music, Inc.
Berliner Philharmoniker poster for European premiere of Raphael Mostel’s Travels of Babar, and also world premiere of complete new HD multimedia production and the new translation in German
Image credit to the BnF on the poster
Berliner Philharmoniker, Stanley Dodds conducting World Premiere of the new production of Raphael Mostel’s Travels of Babar (Babar auf Reisen), and European Premiere of the complete work - photo: Kai Beinert
Berliner Philharmoniker - photo: Cecilia Oomes
Berliner Philharmoniker - photo: Kai Berinert
Berliner Philharmoniker - photo: Kai Berinert
Berliner Philharmoniker, percussionist Clemens Bütje at a dramatic moment - photo: Kai Berinert
Berliner Philharmoniker - photo: Kai Berinert
Berliner Philharmoniker - photo: Carolyn Stranz
Berliner Philharmoniker rehearsal, Raphael Mostel, conductor Stanley Dodds and pianist Helen Collyer - photo by narrator Hans-Jürgen Schatz
Berliner Philharmoniker, narrator Hans-Jürgen Schatz, conductor Stanley Dodds, composer Raphael Mostel
Berliner Philharmoniker program, with performer autographs
New York Philharmonic, Joshua Gersen conducting, World Premiere of excerpts from the new version for orchestra of Raphael Mostel’s “Babar’s Honeymoon”
Raphael Mostel with New York Philharmonic director of education, Theodore Wiprud
photo: Michael DiVito
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, composer Raphael Mostel, conductor Dina Gilbert, narrators Sophie Cadieux & Pierre Brassard - photo: Caroline Louis
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Dina Gilbert conducting, Sophie Cadieux & Pierre Brassard narrating
World Premiere of the new orchestral version of Raphael Mostel’s Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants (Le Retour de Babar au pays des éléphants) Photo:
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Dina Gilbert conducting, Sophie Cadieux & Pierre Brassard narrating
World Premiere of the new orchestral version of Raphael Mostel’s Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants (Le Retour de Babar au pays des éléphants) Photo:
First U.S. performance, Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants National Symphony Orchestra, Steven Reineke, conductor, Regina Aquino, narrator, John F Kennedy Center for the Arts, Washington, D.C., April 7, 2019
Photo: Erica Bruce (full size photo available). Multimedia image: original Jean de Brunhoff watercolor, Kendra & Allan Daniel Collection. Used with permissions
Poster for Source Music, Inc. U.S. Premiere of full new Florence Gould Foundation production complete, at Florence Gould Hall, French Institute Alliance Française, NYC, November 2018.
Image credit: Jean de Brunhoff original watercolor from Le Voyage de Babar, Collection Bibliothèque nationale de France, used with permission
Source Music, Inc. U.S. Premiere of full new complete Florence Gould Foundation Production with new HD multimedia and the original 8-musician scoring, Florence Gould Hall, French Institute Alliance Française, NYC, November 2018, conducted by Neal Goren. Photo: Amber De Vos
Celebrating after the Source Music, Inc. U.S. Premiere of full new complete Florence Gould Foundation Production with new HD multimedia and the original 8-musician scoring, Florence Gould Hall, French Institute Alliance Française, NYC, November 2018
Left to right: Leah Pisar (who narrated), composer Raphael Mostel, William Lang (trombone), Laurent de Brunhoff (eldest son of Jean de Brunhoff), Taka Kigawa (piano)
Photo: Bonnie Stein
Composer Raphael Mostel, Babar, and narrator Bobby Short after a performance
photo: Carol Crumb
Composer Raphael Mostel, Babar and narrator Phylicia Rashad, celebrating 70th anniversary of the creation of Jean de Brunhoff’s Babar
Photo: Carol Crumb
Narrators Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson, first Source Music, Inc. presetation of prior, non-HD, full Florence Gould Foundation production of Raphael Mostel’s Travels of Babar, with lighting by Michael Mazzola, Paul Hostetter conducting
photo: Hiroyuki Ito
Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Raphael Mostel, conductor Paul Hostetter, with musicians l-r Aurora Manuel, Martin Kuuskman, Thomas Hoyt
photo: Berenice Cohen