Satyagraha (opera)

Satyagraha
Opera by Philip Glass

The composer in 2006
Librettist
Based on life of Mahatma Gandhi
Premiere September 5, 1980 (1980-09-05)
Schouwburg

Satyagraha (/sʌtˈjɑːɡrəhə/; Sanskrit सत्याग्रह, satyāgraha "insistence on truth") is a 1979 opera in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists, composed by Philip Glass, with a libretto by Glass and Constance DeJong.

Loosely based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, it forms the second part of Glass's "Portrait Trilogy" of operas about men who changed the world, which includes Einstein on the Beach and Akhnaten.

Glass's style can broadly be described as minimalist. The work is scored for 2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, 2 tenors, a baritone, 2 basses, a large SATB chorus, and an orchestra of strings and woodwinds only, no brass or percussion. Principal roles are Miss Schlesen, Mahatma Gandhi, Hermann Kallenbach and Parsi Rustomji.

The title refers to Gandhi's concept of non-violent resistance to injustice, Satyagraha, and the text, from the Bhagavad Gita, is sung in the original Sanskrit. In performance, translation is usually provided in supertitles.

Performance history

Satyagraha was commissioned by the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands, and first performed at the Schouwburg (Municipal Theatre) there on September 5, 1980, by the Netherlands Opera, featuring the choir of the Rotterdam Conservatory and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Ferden.[1]

The opera premiered in North America at the Artpark in Lewiston, New York, on July 29, 1981. It was also staged that same year by the Stuttgart Opera (which went on to perform the complete trilogy in 1990); this production was taped during its revival in 1983 and released on video.[2]

The UK premiere was a joint production by Bath Spa University and Frome Community College in the theatre of Kingswood School in Bath in 1997.[3]

Silviu Purcărete staged a new production of the opera in 2004 at the Theater Bonn, Germany, with a revival in 2013, with Ulrich Windfuhr conducting the Beethoven Orchester Bonn.[4]

In 2007 a new UK staging was prepared by the English National Opera and Improbable theatre, co-produced by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. This opened in London in April[5] and in New York the following April.[6] Well received, it was revived in London in February 2010[7] and in New York in November 2011; the New York performance on November 19 was part of the Met Opera: Live in HD series.

On September 16, 2014, a new production was staged at the Ekaterinburg State Academic Opera in Russia. The creative team included Thaddeus Strassberger (direction and scenic design), Mattie Ullrich (costume design) and Oliver von Dohnányi (conductor).

Synopsis

The opera is in three acts, each referencing a major related cultural figure.

Act 1

Leo Tolstoy

Act 2

Rabindranath Tagore

Act 3

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recordings

See also

References

  1. ↑ Satyagraha, philipglass.com
  2. ↑ "Movies: About Philip Glass: Satyagraha". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  3. ↑ Phil Johnson, "Review: Opera Satyagraha Kingswood School, Bath", The Independent (London), 20 February 1997. Retrieved 23 August 2013
  4. ↑ "Philip Glass' Gandhi-Oper Satyagraha wieder auf dem Spielplan by Gunild Lohmann, General-Anzeiger, Bonn, 10 June 2013 (German)
  5. ↑ Finch, Hilary (7 April 2007). "Satyagraha". The Times. London. Retrieved 23 May 2010. (subscription required)
  6. ↑ Satyagraha Archived October 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Satyagraha, English National Opera productions page
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