Compiled by José Jiménez Mesa.

© GlassPages, 1997-2002
Last update: July 11, 2002.

To date, Philip Glass has written music for 13 full-scale operas and 5 chamber operas.

NOTE: His works "The Photographer" (1982) and "1000 Airplanes on the Roof" (1988) are listed in some catalogs as operas, but here, according to other sources, are not considered as operas but "only" as music-theatre pieces.

Please, read the BiblioGlassy section for references and the DiscoGlassy for recordings.

Click inside a picture to view it in its full size.

Operas by Philip Glass

[1] Einstein on the Beach (1976).

• An opera in four acts for ensemble, chorus and soloists in collaboration with American designer Robert Wilson.
• Libretto by Philip Glass based on texts by Christopher Knowles, Samuel M. Johnson and Lucinda Childs (in English).
• Notes by Philip Glass.
• First premièred by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Michael Riesman at the Festival d'Avignon in Avignon (France) on July 25^th, 1976.
• First recorded in 1978 and released on CBS Masterworks (later Sony Classical) M4K 38875 (4 CDs, 2:44:57).
• A new complete digital recording was released in 1993 on Nonesuch Records 79323 (3 CDs, 3:20:59). In 1996 a sampler with the highlights of this recording was released on Nonesuch Records 79435-9 (1 CD, 1:15:44).
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, One, Two.

[2] A Madrigal Opera (1980).

• A chamber opera in four parts for six voices (singing only solfeggio syllables), violin and viola in collaboration with Dutch designer Robert Malasch.
• Libretto unspecified. There have been different realizations, each one with a different title.
• Attaca: A Madrigal Opera, the original 1980 production written with Robert Malasch.
• The Panther, designed and directed by Manuel Luetgenhorst using Rilke's poem of the same name at La Mama in New York (USA) and at Houston Grand Opera in Houston (USA) in 1981.
• A Madrigal Opera, with libretto by Len Jenkin and directed by Robert Woodruff at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles (USA) in 1985.
• The State of the Tibetan Nation: A Madrigal Opera, transcribed for electro-percussion, violin and viola featuring slides and text by Sonam Zoksang, Nancy Jo Johnson, Katie Murphy and Kathryn Culley. It was first performed at Tibetan Cultural Center in Bloomington (Indiana, USA) by Christina Fong and Glenn Freeman on November 8^th, 1998. Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four.
• Commissioned by the Holland Festival (The Netherlands).
• First premièred at Carré Theater at the Holland Festival in Amsterdan (The Netherlands) on June 25^th, 1980.

[3] Satyagraha (1980).

• An opera in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists.
• Libretto by Philip Glass and Constance De Jong based on the Bhagavad Gita (in Sanskrit).
• Commissioned by the city of Rotterdam for the Netherlands Opera Company.
• First premièred by the Netherlands Opera and the Utrechts Symfonie Orkest, conducted by Christopher Keene at the Stadsschouwburg in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) on September 5^th, 1980.
• First released in 1985 on CBS Masterworks M3K 39672 (3 CDs, 2:03:10).
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three.

[4] The CIVIL warS: a tree is best measured when it is down. Act V - The Rome Section (1983).

• An opera with prologue and three scenes for orchestra, chorus and soloists in collaboration with American designer Robert Wilson, as a part of his multi-composer epic for the Los Angeles Olympic Games of 1984.
• Libretto by Maita di Niscemi and Robert Wilson based on poems of Seneca and others (in Latin, Italian and English).
• Commissioned by the Opera di Roma (Italy).
• First premièred at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma conducted by Marcello Panni in Rome (Italy) on March 26^th, 1984.
• First released in 1999 on Nonesuch Records 79487 (1 CD, 1:18:28).
• Interludes No. 1 and No. 2 were first released in 2000 on Nonesuch Records 79581 (1 CD, 9:25).
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three.

[4] Akhnaten (1984).

• An opera in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists.
• Libretto by Philip Glass (in Egyptian, Arcadian, Hebrew and language of audience) in association with Shalom Goldman, Robert Israel and Richard Riddell. Vocal text drawn from original sources by Shalom Goldman.
• Commissioned by the Württembergische Staatstheater, Stuttgart (Germany).
• First premièred at the Württembergische Staatstheater conducted by Dennis Russell Davies in Stuttgart (Germany) on March 24^th, 1984.
• First released in 1987 on CBS Masterworks M2K 42457 (2 CDs, 2:08:40).
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.

[6] The Juniper Tree (1984).

• An opera in two acts for chamber orchestra, small chorus and soloists in collaboration with American composer Robert Moran.
• Libretto by Arthur Yorinks based on a tale by the Brothers Grimm (in English).
• Commissioned by the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge (USA).
• First premièred at American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge (USA) on December 11^th, 1985.

[7] The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 (1986).

• An opera in three acts for orchestra, small chorus and soloists in collaboration with British writer Doris Lessing.
• Libretto by Doris Lessing based on her novel of the same name (in English).
• Commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera (USA), the English National Opera (UK), Het Muziektheater (The Netherlands) and the Landestheater Kiel (Germany).
• First premièred at Houston Grand Opera in Houston (USA) on July 8^th, 1988.

[8] The Fall of the House of Usher (1987).

• A chamber opera in two acts for ensemble and soloists.
• Libretto by Arthur Yorinks based on the tale of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe (in English).
• Commissioned by the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge (USA) and the Kentucky Opera (USA).
• First premièred at the American Repertory Theatre conducted by Richard Pittman in Cambridge (USA) on May 18^th, 1988.
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four.

[9] Hydrogen Jukebox (1990).

• A chamber opera for ensemble and soloists in collaboration with American poet Allen Ginsberg and American designer Jerome Sirlin.
• Libretto by Allen Ginsberg based on 21 of his poems (in English).
• Commissioned by the Spoleto Music Festival, Charleston (USA) and the American Music Theater Festival, Philadelphia (USA).
• First premièred (concert version) by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Martin Goldray at the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia (USA) on April 29^th, 1990.
• First premièred (staged version) by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Martin Goldray at the Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston (USA) on May 26^th, 1990.
• First released in 1993 on Nonesuch Records 79286 (1 CD, 1:12:31).

[10] O Corvo Branco (White Raven) (1991).

• An opera in five acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists in collaboration with American designer Robert Wilson.
• Libretto by Portuguese writer Luísa Costa Gomes (in Portuguese and language of audience).
• Commissioned by the Comissão Nacional para a Comemoração dos Descobrimentos Portugueses for the World Expo '98 in Lisbon (Portugal) and Teatro Real in Madrid (Spain).
• First premièred by Orquesta Sinfónica Portuguesa and Coro do Teatro Nacional São Carlos conducted by Dennis Russell Davies at Teatro Camões at the World Expo´98 in Lisbon (Portugal) on September 26^th, 1998.
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.

[11] The Voyage (1992).

• An opera with prologue and epilogue in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists.
• Libretto by David Henry Hwang (in English) based on a story by Philip Glass.
• Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera, New York (USA) in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus at America.
• First premièred at the Metropolitan Opera conducted by Bruce Ferden in New York (USA) on October 12^th, 1992.
• An orquestral interlude from Act I, Scene 2 called "Mechanical Ballet" was released in 2000 on Nonesuch Records 79581 (1 CD, 5:51).

[12] Orphée (1993).

• A chamber opera in two acts for ensemble and soloists.
• Libretto adapted by Philip Glass based on the film of the same name by Jean Cocteau (in French).
• Commissioned by the American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge (USA) and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York (USA).
• First premièred by the American Repertory Theatre conducted by Martin Goldray at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge (USA) on May 14^th, 1993.
• An orquestral interlude from Act II, Scene 5 was released in 1998 on Nonesuch Records 79496 (1 CD, 2:31)
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four.

[13] La Belle et la Bête (The Beauty and the Beast) (1994).

• An opera for ensemble and film.
• Libretto adapted by Philip Glass based on the film of the same name by Jean Cocteau (in French).
• First premièred by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Michael Riesman at Orestiadi di Gibellina in Gibellina (Italy) on June 21^st, 1994.
• First released in 1995 on Nonesuch Records 79347 (2 CDs, 1:28:44).
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three.

[14] Les Enfants Terribles (Children of the Game) (1996).

• A dance opera in 27 scenes for ensemble (3 grand pianos or digital pianos), soloists and dancers in collaboration with American choreographer Susan Marshall.
• Libretto by Philip Glass based on the novel of the same name by Jean Cocteau (in French).
• Commissioned by Steps '96, MIGROS Switzerland - Cultural Commitment.
• First premièred by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Karen Kamensek at Theatre Casino in Zug (Switzerland) on May 18^th, 1996.
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four, Five.

[15] The Marriages between Zones Three, Four and Five (1997).

• An opera in two acts, for orchestra, chorus and soloists in collaboration with British writer Doris Lessing.
• Libretto by Doris Lessing based on her novel of the same name (in English). For the first production it was translated into German by Saskia M. Wesnigk.
• Commissioned by the State Government of Baden-Württemberg and the Cement Corporation of Heidelberg (Germany).
• First premièred at the Theater der Stadt conducted by Thomas Kalb in Heidelberg (Germany) on May 10^th, 1997.
• First premièred in original English language at DePaul Opera Theatre directed by Harry Silverstein and performed by the Chicago Cammerata conducted by Robert Kaminskas in Chicago (USA) on June 7^th, 2001.
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three.

[16] Monsters of Grace (1998).

• A digital opera in three dimensions for ensemble and soloists in collaboration with American designer Robert Wilson.
• Staging formed by 13 three-dimensional computer animated scenes created by Kleiser-Walczak Construction Company and projected onto a large screen in the 70mm stereoscopic film format directed by Diana Walczak and Jeff Kleiser.
• Libretto based on 9 poems by the 13th century Persian poet Yalal al-Din Rumi translated and adapted to English by Coleman Barks.
• Co-commissioned by UCLA Center for the Performing Arts, Los Angeles, California (USA); Arizona State University Public Events, Tempe, Arizona (USA); The Barbican Centre, London (UK); The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York (USA); Change Performing Arts/Festival sul Novecento, Palermo (Italy); Festival Castell de Peralada, Catalunya (Spain); Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam (The Netherlands); Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, OR (USA); The Society for the Performing Arts, Houston, TX (USA) and Wolf Trap Foundation, Vienna, Virginia (USA).
• First premièred by the Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Michael Riesman at the UCLA Center for the Performing Arts at Royce Hall in Los Angeles (USA) on April 15^th, 1998.
• Pictures: One, Two, Three, Four, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, One, Two, Three, Four, Five,Six, Seven, Eight.

[17] In the Penal Colony (2000).

• A chamber opera for string quintet (string quartet plus double bass), two male singers (bass and baritone) and three actors in nonsinging roles written in collaboration with American theatre director JoAnne Akalaitis.
• Libretto written by Rudolph Wurlitzer based on the tale of the same name by Franz Kafka (in English).
• Commissioned by A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) in Seattle (USA) produced in collaboration with Court Theatre in Chicago (USA).
• First premièred by the Metropolitan String Ensemble conducted by Alan Johnson at A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) in Seattle, Washington (USA) on August 31^st, 2000.

[18] Galileo Galilei (2002).

• An opera in ten scenes for orchestra and soloists written in collaboration with American theatre director Mary Zimmerman.
• Libretto written by Mary Zimmerman with Philip Glass and Arnold Weinstein based on the life of Galileo (in English).
• Commissioned by Goodman Theatre in Chicago (USA).
• First premièred at Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre conducted by Beatrice Jona Affron in Chicago, Illinois (USA) on June 24^th, 2002.
• Pictures: One, Two.