Glass - Satyagraha - Act II: Tagore - Confrontation & Rescue (2/2)

PHILIP GLASS (b. 1937)

Satyagraha

Act II: Rabindranath Tagore

Scene 1 - Confrontation and Rescue (1896)

Performed by the New York City Opera Chorus & New York City Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Christopher Keene

http://www.philipglass.com/

*Satyagraha (English pronunciation: /sʌtˈjɑːɡrəhə/, Sanskrit satyāgraha "insistence on truth") is an opera in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists, composed by Philip Glass, with a libretto by Glass and Constance de Jong. The opera is loosely based on the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, and is the second part of Glass's "Portrait Trilogy" of operas about men who changed the world, which also includes Einstein on the Beach and Akhnaten. Philip Glass's style can broadly be described as minimalist, but the music in Satyagraha is somewhat more expansive than is implied by that label. The cast of the opera includes 2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, 2 tenors, a baritone and 2 basses and a large SATB chorus. The orchestra is strings and woodwinds only, no brass or percussion.

The title of the opera 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. As the passages are generally repeated, the DVD provides the full text at the beginning of each scene.

Satyagraha was commissioned by the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands, and was first performed at the Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre) there on September 5, 1980 by the Netherlands Opera and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Ferden.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• philip
• glass
• satyagraha
• amhisa
• mohandas
• mahatma
• gandhi
• conclusion
• protest
• minimalism
• einstein
• on
• the
• beach

[carnivourfeelings]

This is how heaven must sound like :)

[kakashi76767]

sounds like a klingon opera

[anonimato5567]

Wonderfully extraordinary.

[billcarr54]

I just saw this on the Met HD broadcast. For this very traditional opera lover, it is already one of my favorites........thanks for posting it. BTW, the NYC opera CD is excellent.

[rayrox222]

@fire - glass isn't 4 me but this is a great moment in the opera 4 sure. Sanskrit has the wealthy singing of their riches n how the poor will continue 2 suffer n b discriminated 4 their profit. They're in a line seated as peasants come 2 shine their shoes. In gandhis presence the music thematically shifts n while continuing to laugh in the catchy, menacing and yet amusing refrain of "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" they suddenly r standing with chairs raised, intimidated by Gandhi it was very clever

[fireatheart]

I missed that in Live broadcast, shown a few blocks from home!!! :((

[rayrox222]

This part of the opera was another great moment from yesterday's met production I remember vividly in the hd broadcast. It was hilarious and brilliant at the same time.  Loved it!

[rococoness]

that was so cool @w@

[hendokuyaku]

Thank you!

[albicarrara]

musica veramente ...insulsa! Glass deve aver fatto successo per qualche altro motivo che non a causa delle sue qualità artistiche

...certamente!!!