LA Opera Presents Rejuvenated Production of Philip Glass’ ‘Akhnaten’

Emerald Clifford

“Akhnaten,” Philip Glass’ opera of the Egyptian sun priest, comes to LA Opera in a new production with a remarkable infusion of young talent on and off stage. The Glass opera tells the story of Egyptian pharaoh Akhnaten, who with his wife Nerfititi abandoned polytheism and focused on the Sun God. In converting to monotheism, Akhnaten faced resistance, then rebellion, isolation, then death.

Ahknaten premiered was in Germany at the Stuttgart State Opera in 1983. A new co-production by LA Opera and English National Opera brings a noteworthy slate of new names to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion this month.

Among the many artists on the roster making their LA Opera debut are director Phelim McDermott and conductor Matthew Aucion, the company’s first artist-in-residence. Several of the singers – three of them performing the roles of Akhnaten’s six daughters – are members of the company’s young artist program, and others are young artist alumnus. The opera libretto was drawn from original texts in ancient languages, including ancient Egyptian, biblical Hebrew and Akkadian; some are also in English.

The show starts with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role singing in four different dialects – naked. Additionally, throughout Ahknaten, Costanzo performs more than two hours of music in ancient Egyptian. Nefertiti is sung by J’Nai Bridges; Bridges and Costanzo are making their LA Opera debuts as well.

In addition to the conductor and director, other creative team members in their first collaborations with LA Opera are set designer Tom Pey, costumer Kevin Pollard and choreographer Sean Gandini. The only veterans are chorus chief Grant Gershon and light-master Bruno Poet.

“Akhnaten” is the closing installation to Philip Glass’s trilogy of operas about men whose ideas have altered the course of history.  The others were “Einstein on the Beach” and “Satyagraha.”

Glass is widely credited with revitalizing contemporary composition thanks to his minimalist and repetitive themes that incorporated the classical and romantic melodies and harmonies rejected by the previous generation of modern and post-modern composers, such as Arnold Schoenberg and John Cage. He recently won the 2016 Chicago Tribune Literary Prize for his work as a composer.

“Akhnaten” will have six performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from Nov. 5-27. Tickets are here.