The Great Ganesha

Phillip Glass composed an opera about the life of Gandhi in S. Africa and called it ‘Satyagraha’. He did this in the 80s. It’s finally being performed in England now. In Sanskrit. Why Sanskrit?

…composer Glass used the Sanskrit text because it allowed him to communicate through sound without “the limitations of literal meaning”.

So now Sanskrit has no literal meaning? Ok, perhaps I”m getting a little defensive – so not many people will understand it. But I still think he could have said it in a better way.

I’m a big fan of Glass’ work in the Koyaanisqatsi trilogy and even his collaboration with Ravi Shankar. But an opera on Gandhi’s life? An opera?

Should be interesting to see how it’s received.

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