Einstein on the Beach

Opera in four acts by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass which includes two large-scale dance scenes.
Spoken text (English) by Christopher Knowles, Samuel M Johnson and Lucinda Childs.

Orchestration
WW1(fl.pic.bcl)WW2(fl.ssx)WW3(tsx.asx)/2org/vln
ChorusSATB (16 voices)
Soloists2S, T, 4 speaking roles
Duration4 hr 30 min

CategoryOpera and Music Theatre

Composer
Philip Glass
Text Writer/Librettist
spoken text by Christopher Knowles, Samuel M Johnson and Lucinda Childs
LanguageEnglish, German

Performances
View Past Performances

Programme Note

CAST
2 female, 1 male, and 1 male child in speaking roles (for the Wilson production)
16 person SATB chamber chorus
soprano soloist
smaller tenor solo part

SYNOPSIS
The first in Glass' trilogy of operas about men who changed the world through the power of their ideas, Einstein's sub-text is science. The opera is non-narrative in form, and the producer has two options: to reproduce the original Robert Wilson production (which exists on videotape), or to create a new series of stage and dance pictures based on themes relating to the life of Albert Einstein. The opera is structured in four ‘acts’ connected by ‘knee plays’, or intermezzi.

Media

Einstein on the Beach: Knee Play 1

Einstein on the Beach: Knee Play 2

Einstein on the Beach: Act I, Scene 1 - Train

Einstein on the Beach: Act I, Scene 2 - Trail

Einstein on the Beach: Knee Play 5

Discography

Label
Sony Masterworks
Catalogue Number
M4K 38875
Ensemble
Philip Glass Ensemble