Philip Glass
Akhnaten (3LP box)
Format3LP BoxLabelCBSGenreExperimental
Out of stock
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condition (records/box): NM / NM
With original innersleeves and booklet.
The third opera in the portrait trilogy, after Einstein and Satyagraha. World premiere at the Stuttgart State Opera on 3 March 1984; the 1987 CBS recording is by the same forces, Dennis Russell Davies conducting the Stuttgart State Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Paul Esswood sings the title role of the heretic pharaoh as countertenor, Milagro Vargas is Nefertiti, Maria Husmann is Queen Tye, Cornelius Hauptmann is Aye. Libretto by Glass with Shalom Goldman compiling the texts from original sources (Akkadian, Egyptian, Hebrew, with spoken English narration).
Three acts trace Akhnaten's coronation, his cult of the Aten and his fall. The orchestra includes no violins; the upper register is held by violas and woodwinds, which gives the score its characteristic burnished colour. Recorded at Karlshöhe Church and Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, with additional sessions at The Living Room in New York. Hundred-page booklet.
Release notes
An opera in three acts for orchestra, chorus and soloists. Music composed by Philip Glass. Libretto by Philip Glass in association with Shalom Goldman, Robert Israel and Richard Riddell. Vocal text drawn from original sources by Shalom Goldman. Recorded at Karlshohe Church & Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, Germany. 12" LP-Box, comes with a CD-sized booklet containing notes, synopsis and libretto in English, German & French. The opera is sung in three languages of the ancient Near East…
| Act I: Year 1 Of Akhnaten's Reign. Thebes | |||
| A1 | Prelude: Refrain, Verse 1, Verse 2 | 10:44 | |
| A2 | Prelude: Verse 3 | 0:40 | |
| A3 | Scene 1: Funeral Of Amenhotep III | 8:59 | |
| B1 | Scene 2: The Coronation Of Akhnaten | 17:15 | |
| B2 | Scene 3: The Window Of Appearances | 9:03 | |
| Act II: Years 5 To 15. Thebes And Akhenaten | |||
| C1 | Scene 1: The Temple | 12:47 | |
| C2 | Scene 2: Akhnaten & Nefertiti | 10:10 | |
| C3 | Scene 3: The City. Dance (Beginning) Narration: The City | 2:32 | |
| D1 | Scene 3: The City. Dance (Conclusion) Dance | 5:10 | |
| D2 | Scene 4: Hymn | 13:35 | |
| Act III: Year 17 And The Present. Akhetaten | |||
| E1 | Scene 1: The Family | 11:36 | |
| E2 | Scene 2: Attack & Fall | 7:43 | |
| F1 | Scene 3: The Ruins | 7:28 | |
| F2 | Scene 4: Epilogue | 10:37 | |
- Christina Wächtler
- Alto Vocals [Ankhesenpaaten, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Geraldine Rose
- Alto Vocals [Neferneferuaten, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Milagro Vargas
- Alto Vocals [Nefertiti]
- Angelika Schwarz
- Alto Vocals [Sotopenre, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Tero Hannula
- Baritone Vocals [Horemhab]
- Cornelius Hauptmann
- Bass Vocals [Aye]
- The Stuttgart State Opera Chorus
- Chorus
- Ulrich Eistert
- Chorus Master
- Philip Glass
- Composed By, Liner Notes, Written-By [Libretto]
- Dennis Russell Davies
- Conductor
- Anton Zapf
- Conductor [Assistant]
- Paul Esswood
- Countertenor Vocals [Akhnaten]
- Georgina Lehner
- Design [Cover & Booklet]
- Carlos Albrecht
- Engineer
- Johannes Wohlleben
- Engineer
- Martin Wieland
- Engineer
- Don Christensen
- Engineer [Nyc]
- Miles Green
- Engineer [Nyc]
- Shalom Goldman
- Liner Notes, Written-By [Libretto Assistance]
- Bill Kipper
- Mastered By
- David Warrilow
- Narrator [Scribe]
- The Stuttgart State Opera Orchestra
- Orchestra
- Horst Huber
- Photography By
- Kurt Munkacsi
- Producer
- Michael Riesman
- Producer
- Victoria Schneider
- Soprano Vocals [Bekhetaten, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Maria Koupilová-Ticha
- Soprano Vocals [Maketaten, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Lynne Wilhelm-Königer
- Soprano Vocals [Meretaten, Daughter of Akhnaten]
- Melinda Liebermann
- Soprano Vocals [Queen Tye]
- Helmut Holzapfel
- Tenor Vocals [Amon High Priest]
- Richard Riddell
- Written-By [Libretto Assistance]
- Robert Israel
- Written-By [Libretto Assistance]
