Comments on: “Satyagraha,” by Phillip Glass, at the Met Opera House

By: Lilee1

Lilee1 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:46:11 +0000

This is the worst opera I’ve ever seen. The Metropolitan Opera, which is a brilliant house, took all its greatest talent to execute it, and the person playing Ghandi has a wonderful voice, but it’s laughable awful. I saw it on HD and listening to the executers of the set putting their best face on it made me giggle. It’s like calling Pollack art. The only reason it’s considered art is because art institutions say it is–but it isn’t. Absolute junk. It looks like someone put Night of the Living Dead to music. Everyone moves in slow motion, which is okay but they end up no where. The idea of it–connecting Tolstoy to Ghandi to Martin Luther King is intriguing and helped by the brilliance of the Met, but even the Met can’t save this one for their friend. The music is terrible. There is no libretto because he literally makes sounds up and calls it words. (Calling it an obscure language–sand script?–kinda like a voweled Klingon–literally. ) Don’t wait for the translation–there isn’t any. Just Ghandi sayings flashed on the wall. Run from this one. And the last act–said to have beens speeded up? OMG, it puts the icing on the cake. If you doubted you were watching something horrid it and that you just aren’t deep enough to get it this assures you that the thing is an LSD trip. I feel bad for the actors and set designers who put so much into this piece of horrible work and took it seriously. They tape the stage with such precision. Don’t worry. You get to watch this grass grow to the beat or relentlessly awful music and then you get to see it mowed. Run away from this one.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:53:28 +0000

Thank you for your honest and funny! review! I just saw this (Nov 2011) and feel the same way. My row in the third act was quite roomy as most left. The man in front of me was snoring loudly. I took part in the standing ovation only to stretch my legs. Although visually interesting, I did not love the music and was not moved. A story such as Gandhi’s should move the viewer. I’ll even go so far to call it a bit of a pompous and self-serving production.

By: Andy Cordy

Andy Cordy — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:27:27 +0000

I have been so delighted to read the postings and comments here. I saw the show in question in London and thought it magical. To read the thoughts of those who understand Ghandi's place in the minds of contemporary Indian people puts this show into a whole new context for me. John Adams, commenting on his "Nixon in China" said that he thought American Opera could gain from reflecting on American experience. In this piece, Glass showed unequivocally that American Opera can succeed in Myth and History, Politics, Sociology and the intermingling of all these disciplines (just as Nixon in China does!). Thank you all for posting. You've absolutely made my day! Lots of love to you all.

Andy

By: Lalor

Lalor — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:18:34 +0000

Hitesh – Same thing here! After elbowing my activity partner every so often during Acts I and II in order to wake him, I found that I snoozed through all of Act III. Shame on me! Also my first opera, I thought the music was beautiful and contemplative. Maybe a little too contemplative…

By: alex

alex — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:45:30 +0000

If this is what was performed on April 22 on public radio in the afternoon, the music motifs and instrumentations are used in The Hours(2002). I thought that had been original. Oh well.

By: Ellen Winner

Ellen Winner — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:54:34 +0000

Philip Glass has the right to compose whatever kind of music he cares to, but I can’t believe the Metropolitan Opera (or any other reputable opera company) would condone and support such drivel. (My seven year old piano students are composing melodies of more merit.) I seem to sense an “Emperor’s New Clothes” situation here…

By: greenelady

greenelady — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:03:19 +0000

I happened to catch about the last half hour of this on NPR when I got in my car Saturday. I was transfixed and sat in my driveway until it was over (I’ve been known to do this , my neighbors probably wonder). I am no music critic but I know what affects me, and I responded to what I heard on levels that are un-explainable. The music in the part I heard seems to run as an undercurrent to the voices, and I want to use the word discordant here, but I am not sure if that would be correct. And it really didn’t mater to me that I couldn’t understand a word, and had no clue what the story line even was. I only know that I would gladly have paid $175 to see and hear that in person. And I can understand why one might fall asleep, I once fell asleep during a very loud rock concert.

By: Dr. Gene Nelson

Dr. Gene Nelson — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:02:01 +0000

I live in Washington, DC. I used the new BoltBus service by Greyhound and public transportation to get to the Met on Saturday, April 19.(I used to live in the NYC metro area, so I basically knew my way around…) I stood for the first two acts on the Orchestra floor and lucked out to obtain seats a few rows in for the third act. I have enjoyed Philip Glass’s music since I was a graduate student in Buffalo, NY. I attended the U.S. premiere of Satyagraha at the Artpark in Lewiston, NY on July 29, 1981. The sound, orchestra, and vocalists were awesome! I preferred the sets from the Artpark production. The lighting design for the 1981 production was absolutely amazing and complemented Glass’s music, IMO. My total out of pocket expenses were about $75.00 for transportation and music. It was definitely worth every penny!

By: Lily

Lily — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:44:48 +0000

You can get rush tickets. I'm going to see it on Tuesday, I think.

By: cdrakenc

cdrakenc — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:47:54 +0000

was like this except gandhi was more stop motion (like those 22 fps films being played on a slow projector)