The Principled Life of Philosopher Simone Weil
French philosopher Simone Weil believed deeply in the ethical power of witnessing suffering. For the writer and activist, attention was the purest form of generosity—a principle she lived with radical consistency.
Weil—the central figure of the upcoming Curtis Opera Theatre and Curtis New Music Ensemble production of La Passion de Simone—served at a refugee camp, worked in factories, and even joined the Spanish Civil War. Throughout her short life, she rejected material comfort in an effort to live in solidarity with the oppressed, embodying a moral philosophy rooted in justice.
La Passion de Simone, by Kaija Saariaho with a libretto by Amin Maalouf, is a meditation on Weil’s life and thought. Across its 15 movements, the opera-oratorio illuminates moments from her life, offering insight into her ethical commitments and inner world.
“Kaija Saariaho and Amin Maalouf do not give us a biography of Simone Weil,” explains director Marcus Shields. “Instead, they offer a series of meditations that circle a human being who refused comfort, belonging, and to look away from suffering. It is a passage through perception, conscience, and the unbearable weight of noticing.”
In 1943, Simone Weil died of tuberculosis at age 34, a fate hastened by her refusal to eat more than the official ration in occupied France.
A fiercely principled figure who lived her beliefs without compromise, Weil’s legacy endures—through her writings, philosophies, and works like La Passion de Simone.
Curtis Opera Theatre and Curtis New Music Ensemble present La Passion de Simone on Feb. 26 and 28 at the Philadelphia Film Center. Both performances are currently sold out; join the waitlist, and we’ll notify you when additional inventory is available.
Want to learn more about Simone Weil? The Supreme Contradictions of Simone Weil is a good place to start.
