Opera Takes To The Air In New 'Satyagraha' Production

By
John Schaefer
WNYC News | Oct 31, 2018

In 1981, the Brooklyn Academy of Music presented the opera "Satyagraha," by Philip Glass, inspired by Gandhi’s early years working for the Indian community in South Africa.  Now, BAM is presenting the opera in a new production by Cirkus Cirkör, the Swedish troupe led by director Tilde Björfors.  "Satyagraha," which means “insistence on truth” and was coined by Gandhi himself, is not a traditionally narrative work, instead telling its story through a series of images, a text adapted from the Hindu scripture "Bhagavad Gita," and Glass’ music.  Cirkus Cirkör, in collaboration with the Swedish opera company Folkoperan, adds another dimension, as each major character is performed by both an opera singer and an aerialist.  With this new production, Gandhi’s resistance movement quite literally rises again.

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John Schaefer

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