Williamstown, Mass. — The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Philip Glass’s contemporary opera Akhnaten airs at the Clark Art Institute on Saturday, November 23, at 12:55 pm in the latest presentation of The Met: Live in HD. Now in its fourteenth season, the award-winning series of live high-definition cinema simulcasts features the full live performance along with backstage interviews and commentary.
Akhnaten explores psychology, politics, and mysticism through an imagining of the life of the historical figure for whom the opera is named—the ancient Egyptian pharaoh and first founder of a monotheistic religion. For the libretto, Glass (b. 1937) worked with a team of collaborators to create a text that incorporates ancient inscriptions and letters, the Bible’s Psalm 104, and a Fodor’s guide to Egypt.
Star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo headlines the production as the revolutionary pharaoh. Costanzo has made two live performances at the Clark along with the American Modern Opera Company. Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges makes her Met debut as Akhnaten’s wife, Nefertiti. To match Glass’s hypnotic, ritualistic score, director Phelim McDermott employs a virtuosic company of acrobats and jugglers to conjure a mystical reimagining of ancient Egypt. Karen Kamensek conducts in her Met debut. Run time is 3 hours, 31 minutes.
Tickets for each performance are $25 ($22 for Clark members and $18 for students with valid ID). To purchase tickets, visit clarkart.edu or call the box office at 413 458 0524. All sales are final.
The next Met: Live in HD performance is a holiday encore presentation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, airing Sunday, December 8, at 1 pm.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 275,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; open daily in July and August. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; EBT Card to Culture; and Blue Star Museums. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.