CELLIST YO-YO MA, VIOLINIST ITZHAK PERLMAN
TO BE FEATURED SOLOISTS

IN JOHN WILLIAMS' ORIGINAL SCORE

FOR FILM VERSION OF MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

SONY CLASSICAL CD TO BE RELEASED NOVEMBER 22, 2005



Starring Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li and Ken Watanabe,

Memoirs of a Geisha,

Directed By Academy Award® Nominee Rob Marshall,

Opens In Theaters Nationwide On December 9, 2005



Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman both will be soloists in five-time
Oscar winner John Williams' original musical score for Memoirs of a Geisha, the
Dreamworks/Columbia Pictures film based on Arthur Golden's best-selling novel.
Directed by Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago), the film stars Ziyi Zhang and
Michelle Yeoh - both of whom became international sensations in Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon - Gong Li (Farewell My Concubine, Raise the Red Lantern), and
Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai). Sony Classical will release the
film's original soundtrack recording on Tuesday, November 22, 2005, and Memoirs
of a Geisha will open in theaters nationwide December 9, 2005



Based on the internationally acclaimed novel by Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a
Geisha is a sweeping romantic epic set in a mysterious and exotic world that
still casts a potent spell today. The story begins in the years before WWII when
a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha
house. Despite a treacherous rival who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl
blossoms into the legendary geisha Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang). Beautiful and
accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most powerful men of her day, but is haunted
by her secret love for the one man who is out of her reach (Ken Watanabe).
Directed by Rob Marshall and produced by Lucy Fisher, Douglas Wick and Steven
Spielberg, the film's screenplay was adapted by Robin Swicord and Doug Wright.



John Williams' original score for Memoirs of a Geisha is another chapter in his
long and distinguished collaboration with Steven Spielberg, who is one of the
film's producers. Both Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman have collaborated previously
with Williams on film scores and recordings. Ma was featured as soloist in
Williams' score for Seven Years in Tibet (1997). He also recorded a CD of
Williams' concert music entitled Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Music of John Williams
(2002) that features the premiere recording of Williams' Concerto for Cello and
Orchestra, composed for Ma. Perlman performed the violin solos for Williams'
Oscar-winning score for Schindler's List (1993) and later recreated his
performance of this theme with Williams and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as
part of the Sony Classical recording Cinema Serenade (1997).



"I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to compose a musical score
for Rob Marshall's film, Memoirs of a Geisha," Williams says. "For years I've
admired Arthur Golden's remarkable book and it has been a wish come true to
collaborate with my friends Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman on this extraordinary
film."



"It is rare that you have the opportunity to work with so many people you admire
on one project. John Williams sent me a copy of Arthur Golden's extraordinary
book when it was first released and I have been a fan ever since. Working with
John Williams and Itzhak Perlman on John's poetic and mysterious score for Rob
Marshall's film Memoirs of a Geisha was a dream come true." - Yo-Yo Ma



"As with all of John Williams' film scores, his music for Geisha is in sync with
the contents of the film to such an extent that you cannot have one without the
other."

- Itzhak Perlman



A five-time Oscar winner who has received a remarkable 43 nominations to date,
Williams earlier this year completed his celebrated collaboration with filmmaker
George Lucas on the Star Wars films with the release of Star Wars Episode III:
Revenge of the Sith and the film's original soundtrack recording on Sony
Classical. In 2005 alone, the prolific Williams also was responsible for the
original score for Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and will compose the
music for Spielberg's upcoming film Munich, about the 1972 Olympics massacre,
scheduled for released in December.



Sony Classical, RCA Red Seal and deutsche harmonia mundi are labels of SONY BMG
MASTERWORKS, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. For e-mail updates and
information regarding Sony Classical, RCA Red Seal, deutsche harmonia mundi and
Arte Nova artists, promotions, tours and repertoire, please visit
www.sonybmgmasterworks.com, www.bmgclassics.com and www.sonyclassical.com.



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