Philip Glass will celebrate his 90^th birthday on 31 January 2027. A multi-season celebration of notable performances and events commences with the World Premiere performances of Symphony No. 15: Lincoln. Other highlights include the 50^th anniversary of his seminal theatre work Einstein on the Beach and global celebrations across opera, theatre, dance, symphony and chamber concerts, film and more.

Symphony No. 15: Lincoln

Symphony No. 15: Lincoln, based on a collection of Abraham Lincoln’s speeches and letters, will receive its world premiere on 5 July 2026 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood with subsequent premieres worldwide:

• 31 July 2026 at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, CA (West Coast Premiere)
• 25-27 September 2026 by the Virginia Symphony in Newport News, VA (Virginia Premiere)
• 31 January 2027 by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall (New York Premiere)
• 31 January 2027 at the Southbank Centre (UK Premiere)
• 12-13 March 2027 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall (Los Angeles Premiere)
• 4-6 June 2027 by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Baltimore Premiere) 

Additional performance dates to be announced.

Glass’ symphony for baritone and orchestra completes his long history of exploration of historical figures, bringing timely themes and lessons from Abraham Lincoln to the modern day. Initially slated to debut at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing arts in June 2026, Glass withdrew the piece, stating, “Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”

From Abraham Lincoln’s 1838 "Lyceum Address," adapted for the libretto: 

There is, even now, something of ill-omen amongst us. The lawless in spirit, having regarded Government as their deadliest bane, make a jubilee of the suspension of its operation. There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law. We hope all dangers may be overcome, but some man possessed of ambition will spring up among us. Distinction will be his paramount object, and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down. Let a reverence for the constitution and laws; and that we remained free to the last; awaken our WASHINGTON. Let the proud fabric of freedom rest, as the rock of its basis; and ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

50th Anniversary of Einstein on the Beach

Einstein on the Beach, by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson, will celebrate 50 years in 2026. The celebration, in honor of the late Bob Wilson, will include a worldwide concert tour from the Philip Glass Ensemble (dates to be announced), a European concert tour from ICTUS, Collegium Vocale Gent and Suzanne Vega in May and September 2026, a new experiential production created by English National Opera, Factory International, Park Avenue Armory and Improbable, directed by Phelim McDermott, to premiere June 2027 at Aviva Studios, Manchester, UK and more to be announced.

The original production of Einstein on the Beach premiered at the Avignon Festival on 25 July1976, sparking important discourse about conventions of score, plot and staging across its tour of Europe.  In a watershed cultural moment, the opera arrived at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in November 1976. Subsequent productions brought the Wilson and Glass vision into focus; the first production to incorporate choreography by Lucinda Childs took place in 1984 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. A touring production in 2012-2015 was the last to take place under the supervision of the original creators, harnessing the latest technical advances and the crystalline musical fluency of the Philip Glass Ensemble.

Since its original production, Einstein on the Beach has been mounted in in Stuttgart (1988), Dortmund (2017), Geneva (2019), Kanagawa (2022), Basel, Berlin and Vienna (2021-22), Buenos Aires (2024) and a recent traveling production by ICTUS ensemble. The work celebrates 50 years with new productions, and performances by the original performers of the work, The Philip Glass Ensemble, all in honor of the late Bob Wilson.

Opera Highlights

The operas of Philip Glass will receive revivals and new productions across the U.S. and Europe. 

Akhnaten (1983)

• 6 June 2026 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Concert Version)
• 9 January-20 February 2027 at Komische Oper Berlin (Barrie Kosky Production Revival) 
• 25 May 2027 at the Metropolitan Opera's Diamond Jubilee (Excerpt) 

Orphée (1993), Les Enfants Terribles (1996), and La Belle et la Bête (1994) (The "Cocteau Trilogy)

• 23 May 2026-7 January 2027 at Staatstheater Augsburg, Germany (new production of La Belle et la Bête)
• 3-11 February 2027 at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris (new production of La Belle et la Bête)
• Throughout 2027 touring with Katia & Marielle Labeques (two-piano version of the full trilogy)

Waiting for the Barbarians (2005)

• 26 September-31 October 2026 with Nederlandse Reisopera (first revival since the 2005 premiere)

The Juniper Tree (1985)

• 19-23 May 2027 at the Chicago Opera Theater in Chicago, IL (Chicago Premiere) 

Tao of Glass (2019)

• 25 July-12 September 2026 at Soho Place, London (West End Premiere)

Dance Highlights

Glass’ birthday season dance programming features works from preeminent choreographers and Glass collaborators.

• Benjamin Millepied’s new work City of Dance, featuring Koyaanisqatsi (1987)
  2-21 June 2026 with the L.A. Dance Project in Los Angeles, CA
• Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot’s Shoot the Moon, featuring Tirol Concerto (2000)
  11-20 June 2026 at the Royal Ballet, London
  9-24 October 2026 at Norwegian National Ballet
• Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room (1986)
  15-18 October at the Philadelphia Ballet  
  13 March-5 April 2027 at the Vienna State Opera
• Lucinda Childs’ Distant Figure featuring Passacaglia for Piano (2017)
  26-28 June 2026 at Bard SummerScape
• Lucinda Childs’ new choreography for Another Look at Harmony Part IV (1975) 
  14-16 January 2027 at New York City Center
• David Dawson’s Metamorphosis featuring Metamorphosis 1-5 (1988)
  27 March-4 April 2027 at the Dutch National Ballet 

Symphonic Highlights

Special symphonic programs celebrating Philip’s 90^th Birthday include multiple all-Glass events:

• NCH Dublin, Ireland with the NSO Ireland conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, 5-6 June 2026
• Carnegie Hall with Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, 31 January 2027
• Southbank Centre with performances of Symphony No. 15: Lincoln, Music in Twelve Parts (1974) and more, 31 January 2027
• Boston Symphony Orchestra led by Dennis Russell Davies, 11-13 February 2027
• Manitoba Chamber Orchestra led by Anne Manson 18-24 February 2027
• Los Angeles Philharmonic led by Anna Handler 12-13 March 2027

Violin Concerto No. 1 (1987) will receive numerous performances across the U.S. and Europe, including Paris, Miami, Vancouver, Munich, Charleston, New York, Los Angeles and Aix-en-Provence.

Violin Concerto No. 2 'American Four Seasons' (2009) Stellenbosch, South Africa and Manitoba, Canada. 

Symphony No.1 'Low' (1992) will be presented by Orchestra of St. Luke’s led by conductor Joe Hisaishi 10-11 July 2026 at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the Colorado Symphony led by conductor Peter Oundjian 21 January 21 2027 and by Malmö Symfoniorkester led by conductor Karen Kamensek 28 January 2027. 

Mishima Concerto (2023) arranged by Michael Riesman will receive its Irish Premiere 6 June 2026 by the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and Dutch Premiere in The Hague by Residentie Orkest den Haag 2 October 2026. 

Symphony No. 6 'Plutonian Ode' (2001) will be presented by Filharmonie Brno led by Dennis Russell Davies14-15 January 2027 in Brno, Czechia. 

Symphony No. 8 (2005) will be presented by Japan Century Symphony Orchestra led by Dennis Russel Davies 19 February 2027 in Osaka, Japan.

Chamber Highlights

• The Allen Ginsberg Estate celebrates Ginsberg’s Centennial and Philip Glass’ 90^th with live performances of Magic Psalm (Etude No.17) in London, UK on July 12, 2026 and Stanford, US on October 30, 2026.
• Pomegranate Arts will present Glass’ Complete Piano Etudes at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA July 22, 2026, at Performing Arts Houston, TX September 12, 2026, Gaillard Center Charleston, SC November 1, 2026, and with Cal Performances Berkeley, CA November 20, 2026.
• The Philip Glass Ensemble performs the seminal work Glassworks in Stockholm and Copenhagen, and a selection of Early Works programs in Toronto, Stockholm, and Copenhagen in 2026.
• San Francisco Performances will present Philip Glass @ 90, a series of three concerts featuring Glass’ collaborators Timo Andres, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Kronos Quartet to celebrate Glass’ 90^th birthday, January 27-29, 2027.
• Lavinia Meijer, Feico Deutekom and Cappella Amsterdam present a chamber music and choral evening, Philip Glass 90, on January 30, 2027.
• James McVinnie and his ensemble will perform the rare Dance Nos. 1-5 at the Barbican Centre in London, UK on February 3, 2027.
• Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson will tour a 90^th birthday tribute solo piano concert in Spring 2027.
• Maki Namekawa will present an evening of Glass’ solo piano music at the Paris Philharmonie June 7, 2027.
• Third Coast Percussion will present Ripples in the Water: Philip Glass at 90 on a worldwide tour, featuring TCP’s arrangements of Aguas da Amazonia and Metamorphosis One, performances to be announced.

Film Highlights

The Philip Glass Ensemble will tour performing the Qatsi Trilogy Live to Film, celebrating Godfrey Reggio’s seminal Qatsi films—Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi—with live performances of the scores while the films are screened. Powaqqatsi will be presented in Rome September 16, 2026. Koyaanisqatsi will be presented in Minneapolis March 9, 2027 and in Philadelphia, PA April 25, 2027 with additional performances to be announced.

Special Releases

In the lead up to Glass’ 90^th Birthday, Orange Mountain Music released an EP celebrating Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg’s friendship and long collaborative history.

Allen Ginsberg – One Hundred was released May 15 in honor of Allen Ginsberg’s centennial. The three track EP includes Magic Psalm (Etude No. 17), a new release for piano and spoken word based on Philip Glass’ original sketch of Etude No. 17. The rediscovered manuscript, titled “Etude No. 17 (Magic Psalm)”, was found tucked away in a book of Allen Ginsberg’s poems in Glass’s library. It was presumably written with Ginsberg’s 1960 poem Magic Psalm on Glass’ mind, akin to their first collaboration Wichita Vortex Sutra. For Allen Ginsberg’s Centennial in 2026, the Ginsberg Estate and Glass brought this old-new idea to life, with Allen Ginsberg’s archival reading of Magic Psalm (1960) and pianist Maki Namekawa’s recording of Glass’ Etude No. 17 (2012) from OMM.  Two existing recordings, Wichita Vortex Sutra and Have You Seen This Movie (Distant Figure), are re-released on the EP.

Additional special releases from OMM to be announced.