Einstein on the Beach

Overview

A four-and-a-half hour opera may seem like a hard sell, but keep reading! Einstein on the Beach is no ordinary theatrical experience. First performed in 1976, combining the talents of three of America's seminal modern artists — composer Philip Glass, stage designer Robert Wilson and choreographer Lucinda Childs — it virtually reinvented opera as an art form.  

Conceived as a portrait of the 20th century's greatest scientist in sound and movement, the piece follows no storyline but rather seeks to represent Einstein and his ideas through a series of abstract movements with names like 'Night Train', 'I Feel the Earth Move' and 'Spaceship'. Mathematical choruses, abstract poetry, whirling dancers, evocative backdrops wrought in light and, of course, Glass's epic soundscapes combine to make a piece definitive of the modern age.

This revival, which last year saw the piece return to stage for the first time in two decades, was overseen by Glass, Wilson and Childs themselves and provides a rare opportunity to see this unique work performed.

While the audience are free to come and go during the performance, under the spell of Glass's music the long running time may simply slide by. Time is, after all, relative.