Einstein on the Beach

Opera by PHILIP GLASS, in collaboration with the director Robert Wilson. It was premiered at the Avignon Festival on July 25, 1967, and subsequently performed throughout Europe. In 1976 it was presented—although not as part of the regular subscription season—at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y., to much acclaim.

The work features Glass's typical technique of using short melodic MOTIVES that are repeated, creating a kind of hypnotic texture. The story line is fragmented, with the character of the famous mathematician and physicist Albert Einstein appearing at various times in fantastic situations.