Akhnaten

Philip Glass: Akhnaten Opera

Akhnaten, a 1983 masterpiece by the American contemporary composer Philip Glass, will have its Finnish premiere as a co-production of the Opera Skaala and the Opera BOX.

Akhnaten reports about 1350 e.a.a. Pharaoh Akhnaten, who ruled Egypt for 17 years and served as a revolutionary reformer of ancient Egypt during his reign. The libretto's work has been created by the composer himself in collaboration with other authors, and the libretto is based on e.g. Akhnaten’s own texts, the Book of the Dead in ancient Egypt, and Old Testament Psalm 104. 

Glass’s enchanting minimalist music takes the listener’s thoughts to ancient Egypt of the pharaohs. In the orchestration of the performance, the composer’s hypnotic and ritualistic time travel is accompanied by four keyboardists and three percussionists.

The opera is directed by Ville Saukkonen, standard directors of Opera BOX, and is conducted by conductor Jonas Rannila. In the title role of the opera, a young Hungarian countertenor, Zoltan Darago, who also studied in Finland, is heard.

Alexander Theatre
1.-4.9.2022

Performances:

1.-2.9. at 19.00

3.9. at 14.00

4.9. at 19.00

Tickets 35-48€ from Ticketmaster, duration 3 h incl. intermission