See ‘Dracula’ as composer Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet perform Glass’ score

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts will play host to a special vampire this Halloween weekend, along with the original score that helped bring his character to life.

Segerstrom and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County will present Tod Browning’s 1931 film “Dracula,” with its 1998 music by Philip Glass to be performed live by the composer himself at the piano and the Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

American pianist Mick Rossi will also direct from the keyboard.

Browning’s classic film was released with Glass’ music after Universal Family and Home Entertainment Productions commissioned the work from the composer in 1998, according to a news release.

Glass wrote it specifically for the San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet, which consists of violinists David Harrington and John Sherba, viola player Hank Dutt and cellist Sunny Yang.

“One of the great things about Philip’s [“Dracula”] score is that it seems to almost lead the action of the film,” Harrington said in a phone interview.

Harrington said he remembers being a kid when he saw Browning’s film on television as a talkie without music.

Now, he is one of several musicians who have helped complement the film’s eerie scenes of lurking shadows and fluttering bats with equally haunting music.

“ ‘Dracula’ is one of the most fun projects we’ve done with live film,” Harrington said. “It’s an incredible film and the music Glass wrote is, in my opinion, some of his greatest music. We have a really great time performing with him.”

This month, the quartet and Glass will also perform in Oakland and Portland, Ore.

Glass, who celebrated his 80th birthday this year, has composed more than 20 operas, eight symphonies and concertos for piano, violin and other ensembles in the past 25 years. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the late 20th century.

During his work as a composer in film, he has collaborated with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Peter Weir, according to a news release.

The Kronos Quartet, a group that has commissioned more than 700 works and arrangements, has had its music featured in films such as “Requiem for a Dream.”

Tickets for the “Dracula” performance start at $59 and are available through the Segerstrom Center for the Arts at scfta.org and the Philharmonic Society at PhilharmonicSociety.org.

IF YOU GO

What: Horror film classic “Dracula” (1931) with music performed live by Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28

Where: Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

For Tickets: Visit scfta.org or PhilharmonicSociety.org

Alexandra.Chan@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlexandraChan10