Glass and Kepler

[kaergaard]

As a Philip Glass apostle going back to his taxi driver days over thirty years ago, I had been patiently waiting for the ORF DVD of his opera about the life of the German scientist Johannes Kepler. The Landestheater in Linz, Austria, had commissioned the work and this DVD is from a performance in Linz with Dennis Russell Davies conducting the Bruckner Orchester Linz, stage director is Peter Missotten.

For this work, Glass returned to his previous style of portrait operas: Music, chorus and one important dominent soloist, in this case Martin Achrainer as Kepler.  Engraved in my memory is my unique experience of attending at the Seattle Opera in August 1988 a live performance of his Satyagraha, directed by Robert Israel, resident director of the Seattle Opera and Douglas Perry as Gandhi.  I have seen the video of the Metropolitan production of Achim Freyer – I think is his name – and regret his production given such prominence to one of Glass's best operas. Misotten fortunately leans lightly on the Israel idea, but is hampered by the unimaginative custom and set designers. I know Kepler's main interest was the universe, but the stage's continuous spinning, even ever so slowly, tempts a grip on my recliner's armrests.

The music definitely is Philip Glass's minimalism at its best, the text sung in Latin and German, with English subtitles, which I highly appreciate, not being as familiar with Kepler's work as I am with Gandhi's.

In short: If you love Glass, by all means, watch it; if there is a CD available it won't help unless the libretto goes with the issue. Music and voices will make you love Glass even more!