Phelim McDermott & Philip Glass: Tao of Glass

A New York Times Critic’s Pick!

A “fantastical and often moving tribute to the composer Philip Glass and the power of art to flow through our lives.” Read the full review in The New York Times. 

★★★★★ “A golden odyssey through Philip Glass’s music….. Every so often your eyes will fill with tears, for there is only so much that the human heart can hold within it.” — The Guardian, London

Iconic composer Philip Glass and celebrated performer/director Phelim McDermott (Improbable) have created legendary opera productions together throughout the world (Satyagraha, Akhnaten, and The Perfect American).

Tao of Glass is their most fantastical collaboration yet. This New York Premiere marries ten new works from Glass with ten theatrical meditations on life, death, and Taoist wisdom. Performed by McDermott with a virtuosic ensemble of musicians and puppeteers, Tao of Glass is a storytelling tapestry, underscored by Glass’s mesmerizing music, and shot through with Improbable’s trademark magical stagecraft.

Philip Glass has had an extraordinary and unprecedented impact on the musical and intellectual life of our times. His acclaimed works include symphonies, film scores, wide-ranging artistic collaborations, and such operas as Einstein on the Beach, Satyagraha, Akhnaten, and The Voyage. philipglass.com

Commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Improbable, Perth Festival, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival and Carolina Performing Arts – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in association with Naomi Milgrom AO. Produced by Manchester International Festival and Improbable. Tao of Glass originally premiered at Manchester International Festival 2019.