Opera
Einstein on the Beach
Einstein on the Beach, An Opera in Four Acts
Robert Wilson
Philip Glass
Lucinda Childs
Presented in association with Pomegranate Arts
In 1976, audiences around the globe experienced a collective
dream. Time slowed, sound tumbled everywhere and nowhere, and
cryptic images froze in light. It was the collaboration of the
century: Robert Wilson and Philip Glass, two chief manipulators of
artistic time, joined forces in the name of another time-bender,
Einstein, to create a visual, kinetic, and musical work that
forever revolutionized the landscape of artistic achievement.
Following critically acclaimed revivals in 1984 and 1992,
Einstein on the Beach returns this fall as part of BAM's
150th anniversary celebrations.
With no story, hero, or heroine, Einstein unfolds as a
hypnotic tableau, inspired by the poetic idea of a genius and
propelled by Glass' sublime score. A cosmic chorus of syllables,
numbers, streams of consciousness, and enigmatic poems–punctuated
by Lucinda Childs' choreography–unfurls beneath Wilson's
spectacular set, enlivening this epic, seminal masterwork of
20th-century performance.
The 2012 production of Einstein on the Beach, An Opera in Four Acts was commissioned by: BAM; the Barbican, London; Cal Performances University of California, Berkeley; Luminato, Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity; De Nederlandse Opera/The Amsterdam Music Theatre; Opéra et Orchestre National de Montpellier Languedoc-Rousillon; University Musical Society of the University of Michigan
Leadership support by
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Joseph and Sylvia Slifka Foundation
The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Robert Wilson achieved worldwide acclaim, along with Philip Glass, for their monumental large-scale opera Einstein on the Beach, which altered conventional notions of a moribund form.
One of America's most celebrated composers, Philip Glass' work has included opera, film scores, dance music, symphonic work, string quartets, and a few unclassifiable pieces.
Sep 14 & 22, 6—11pm
BAM members attending Einstein on the Beach on September 14 and 22 can enjoy complimentary wine, cheese, and conversation with a sommelier in the BAMcafé courtesy of the British Airways Wine Club.
We asked, you answered! Read what fans had to say about Einstein on the Beach on the BAM Blog.
