Philip Glass's minimalist pharaonicism at the Liceu

The operatic tradition linked to themes from Ancient Egypt has, throughout the history of the genre, yielded tasty fruits such as Giulio Cesare in Egypt by Handel or Aida by Verdi, in addition to Sestri by our Domènec Terradellas or contemporary creations in the style ofAnthony and Cleopatra by John Adams (which the Liceu hosted in 2023).

The case ofAkhnatenHowever, he plays in a different league. Because Philip Glass does not opt for historicism, but rather for a reflection on the ghosts of the past, nullified by the banality and noise of today's mass culture. The Baltimore musician takes as his starting point the figure of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten (father of Tutankhamun), architect of a religious reform that strove for monotheism, thus confronting the de facto powers of the priestly caste.

In Glass's opera, the figure of the pharaoh is evoked as a distant reflection, reduced today to a museum piece. AfterEinstein on the beach (1976) and of Satyagraha (1980), Akhnaten It premiered in Stuttgart in 1984 to great acclaim and is now coming to Barcelona, ​​which had already premiered the first of these operas at the Liceu in 1992 (and which was revived at the Palau de la Música six years ago). In short: a must-see. AkhnatenThe show is fabulous, Glass's music is extraordinary, and the overall result makes for one of the most interesting and stimulating productions of the season.

The music is framed within a subtle and meticulous minimalism, with the reiteration of short melodic and rhythmic patterns, which are gradually transformed by adding or removing notes, instruments, or sound layers. The result is hypnotic, thanks to Karen Kamensek's direction at the head of a regular orchestra unfamiliar with this repertoire, but which responds perfectly to the meticulous work of the American conductor. The heart of the house was also impeccable, whose members sang and also had to participate in some juggling, while the members of the Gandini Juggling group contributed to the visual richness of the stage ensemble.

An anthem in Catalan

The musical and ritual component of the performance is supported by the static and visually rich staging created by Phelim McDermott, with the collaboration of set designer Tom Pye, costume designer Kevin Pollard, and lighting designer Bruno Poet. Added to this are the aforementioned jugglers, who contrast with the static, processional quality of many of the opera's scenes. A comprehensive aesthetic-stylistic compendium that works with exemplary uniqueness, serving a text without action made from ancient Egyptian texts (hymns and prayers) in ancient Egyptian but also in Hebrew, Akkadian and with the narration in English by the scribe (the splendid actor Zachary). All of this without forgetting Catalan, because Glass stipulates that the hymn to the Sun that closes the second act be sung in the language of the country in which the opera is performed. It is a pity that, with the exception of the fragments recited in English and the aforementioned solar hymn, the rest of the booklet did not have the translated version of the supertitles. Among the soloists, a special mention should be made of the countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who takes on the risky title role, alongside the notable soprano Rihab Chaleb. The cast also includes Nostrat singers such as Toni Marsol, Joan Martín-Royo and José Manuel Montero, among others. A brave gamble, with excellent results in the service of a complete spectacle. which, we insist, no one should let themselves get lost.