Akhnaten Opens 2019-2020 Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcasts Dec. 7

Summary: Philip Glass’ Akhnaten opens the 2019-2020 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts Dec. 7 as the first of the season’s 23 scheduled broadcast matinees.

Phelim McDermott’s staging of Akhnaten marks the English stage director’s second directorship of a Philip Glass opera’s Metropolitan Opera premiere: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 11, 2018

Philip Glass’ Akhnaten opens the 2019-2010 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), as the first of 23 radio matinee broadcasts scheduled weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

American composer Philip Glass (born Jan. 31, 1937) set his musical score for Akhnaten to an original libretto that he created in association with Hebrew and Biblical Studies scholar Shalom Goldman, designer Robert Israel, Duke University Secretary and theater lighting and set designer Richard Riddell and American theatrical director and producer Jerome Robbins (Oct. 11, 1918-July 29, 1998). The mixed-language libretto combines Akkadian, ancient Egyptian and Biblical Hebrew texts with narration in English or another modern language.

Glass composed his third opera to fulfill a commission by Württembergische Staatstheater in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg state, southwestern Germany. Akhnaten also numbers as third in Glass’ trilogy of biographical operas. His first opera, Einstein on the Beach, opened the trilogy with its premiere July 25, 1976, at southeastern France’s Avignon Festival (Festival d’Avignon). His second opera, Satyagraha, premiered Sept. 5, 1980, at Stadsschouwburg (Municipal Theatre) western Netherlands, as the second installment of Glass’ portrait trilogy.

Akhnaten’s world premiere took place March 24, 1984, at southwestern Germany’s Staatstheater Stuttgart (Stuttgart State Theatre). The world premiere was staged under the German title of Echnaton.

Houston Grand Opera hosted the American premiere of Akhnaten on Oct. 12, 1984. The opera’s Metropolitan Opera premiere occurred Friday, Nov. 8, during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s seventh week.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season offers eight performances of Akhnaten. In addition to opening night, five performances were also offered in November. The month’s performances took place Friday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST); Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.

The 2019-2020 season’s last two performances are staged in December. The month’s first performance, Wednesday, Dec. 4, opens at 7:30 p.m. The Saturday matinee performance Dec. 7, which begins at 1 p.m., closes the opera’s run for the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s Akhnaten has an estimated run time of 3 hours 21 minutes. Act I spans 49 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 50 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes precedes Act III, which is estimated at 42 minutes.

Karen Kamensek conducts all performances of Akhnaten. The American opera and orchestral conductor made her Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2019-2020 season’s Nov. 8 premiere of Akhnaten.

Dísella Lárusdóttir appears in all performances as Queen Tye, Akhnaten’s mother. The Icelandic soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 4, 2013, as Garsenda in the opera house’s 38th performance Francesca da Rimini by Italian composer Riccardo Zandonai (May 28, 1883-June 5, 1944).

J’Nai Bridges appears in all performances as Nefertiti, Akhnaten’s wife. The American mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut took place during the 2019-2020 season’s Nov. 8 premiere of Akhnaten.

Anthony Roth Costanzo appears in all performances as Akhnaten, the 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian pharaoh who sought to replace traditional Egyptian polytheism with sun disc-centered Atenism, also known as the Amarna heresy. The American countertenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 7, 2011, as Unulfo in the opera house’s 21st performance of Rodelinda by German, later British, Baroque composer George Handel (Feb. 23, 1685-April 14, 1759).

Aaron Blake appears in all performances as the High Priest of the major deity in ancient Egyptian polytheism, Amon. The American tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut took place March 29, 2017, as Gastone in the opera house’s 1,006th performance of La Traviata by 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Will Liverman appears in all performances as Horemhab, ancient Egypt’s last 18th Dynasty pharaoh. The American operatic baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut occurred Oct. 19, 2018, as Malcom Fleet in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Marnie by American contemporary classical music composer Nico Asher Muhly (born Aug. 26, 1981). During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Will Liverman also appears as Papageno in The Magic Flute by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Richard Bernstein appears in all performances as Aye, father of Queen Nefertiti and ultimately ancient Egypt’s penultimate 18th Dynasty pharaoh. The American bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 7, 1995, as Zuniga in the opera house’s 828th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Alexandre César Léopold Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875), known as Georges Bizet. During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Richard Bernstein also appears as the Murderer in Verdi’s Macbeth; as the Second Guide in Mozart’s The Magic Flute; as the First Apprentice in Wozzeck by Austrian composer Alban Berg (Feb. 9, 1885-Dec. 24, 1935); as Pietro in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra; and as the Captain in Manon Lescaut by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Zachary James appears in all performances as Amenhotep III. The American operatic bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2019-2020 season’s Nov. 8 premiere of Akhnaten.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Akhnaten launch Phelim McDermott’s new production at the opera house. The English stage director’s production team comprises Tom Pye, set designer; Kevin Pollard, costume designer; Bruno Poet, lighting designer; and Sean Gandini, choreographer.

Phelim McDermott made his Metropolitan Opera debut April 11, 2008, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Glass’ Satyagraha. In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Phelim McDermott also directs Mozart’s Così fan tutte.

The takeaway for Akhnaten’s opening the 2019-2020 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts Dec. 7 is that the third installment in American composer Philip Glass’ portrait trilogy numbers as the first in the season’s schedule of 23 radio matinee broadcasts that air weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Phelim McDermott's staging of Philip Glass's Akhnaten features sets designed by Tom Pye: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 8, 2019

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Phelim McDermott’s staging of Akhnaten marks the English stage director’s second directorship of a Philip Glass opera’s Metropolitan Opera premiere: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 11, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162303445990533/

Phelim McDermott's staging of Philip Glass's Akhnaten features sets designed by Tom Pye: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 8, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10162303445795533

For further information:

“Debut: Anthony Roth Costanzo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354199 Rodelinda {21} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/07/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354199

“Debuts: Dísella Làrusdóttir, Caitlin Lynch, Dustin Lucas.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354888 > Francesca da Rimini {38} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/4/2013.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354888

“Debuts: Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch, Kevin Pollard . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352481 Satyagraha {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 04/11/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352481

“Debuts: Robert Spano . . . Will Liverman.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357028 Marnie {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/19/2018.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357038

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s 10th Week Has Glass, Mozart, Puccini, Tchaikovsky.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 18, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/11/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-10th-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s 11th Week Has Glass, Mozart and Tchaikovsky.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 25, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/11/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-11th-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Eighth Week Has Glass, Gluck, Mozart, Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 4, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/11/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-eighth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Ninth Week Has Glass, Mozart and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 11, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/11/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-ninth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Seventh Week Has Glass, Gluck and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-seventh.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Technical rehearsals for Phelim McDermott’s arresting new production of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten began this week. Take a first look at the innovative director’s breathtaking vision of ancient Egypt. Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera.” Facebook. Aug. 11, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162303445990533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Met Premiere of Glass’s ‘Satyagraha’ April 11, 2008. Philip Glass’s ‘Satyagraha’ has its Met premiere in a new production by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch.” Facebook. April 11, 2008.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/20807115532/posts/10151394369655533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Technical rehearsals for Phelim McDermott’s arresting new production of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten began this week. Take a first look at the innovative director’s breathtaking vision of ancient Egypt. Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera." Facebook. Aug. 8, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/10162303445795533

Ustundag, Ezgi. “From Allen Building to the Opera House.” Duke Today. March 30, 2016.
Available @ https://today.duke.edu/2016/03/akhnaten