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Philip Glass

The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 (opera)

The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 is a full-scale opera by Philip Glass with a libretto by Doris Lessing based on her novel of the same name, first performed in 1988. Together with

Performance history#

The opera was first performed at Houston Grand Opera on 8 July 1988. The British premiere was 9 November 1988 by English National Opera at the London Coliseum. This production was broadcast live in the UK on BBC Radio 3 on 13 December 1988.

Synopsis#

The people of Planet 8 are peaceful and content, until one of the Canopean Agents arrives and tells them to prepare for an impending ice age. The embattled population fights courageously in the face of certain death, and their efforts are transformed when they become the one single “representative” of the planet’s people and culture.

Recordings#

Unlike many of Philip Glass’s other operas, The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 has not been recorded for CD sale.

  • Dedicated page on the official web site of Philip Glass
  • Details of the opera, including production photographs, dorislessing.org
  • “Reviews/Music; New Opera By Lessing And Glass” by John Rockwell, The New York Times, 11 July 1988
Composer
Philip Glass