United States Glass, Akhnaten: Soloists, Chorus, Orchestra of LA Opera / Dalia Stasevska (conductor). Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, 8.3.2026. (JRo)
Upon seeing Phelim McDermott’s staging of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten in 2016, I observed in my review (here) that the kitschy and overwrought staging threatened to derail the narrative and to obscure the performances. Ten years later, either the production has mellowed, or I have. I suspect my change in perception is due to the casting of countertenor John Holiday in the role of Akhnaten.
Holiday’s nuanced performance and exquisite sound made the Egyptian king human and, with his humanity, the role expanded, flowered and became a tragic tale of a man with an unsustainable vision. The spectacle created by McDermott, Tom Pye’s sets and Kevin Pollard’s costumes became secondary to Holiday’s portrayal.
The theatrical distractions quieted down: a mélange of over-the-top costumes, which felt like ancient Egyptian steampunk, no longer rankled; the jugglers with their flying balls and clubs no longer interfered. Holiday held the stage, not as a cipher but as a very real young man. His dignified yet touching interactions with his mother, wife and daughters turned the family into a loving unit united in their beliefs: the replacement of polytheism with the worship of one god.
Akhnaten is the third in the trio of Glass portrait operas extolling the achievements of men who changed history, preceded by Einstein on the Beach and Satyagraha (Gandhi). Dramatically and musically, it casts a darker spell than its predecessors and is marked by the omission of violins, relying on woodwinds, brass and percussion to create a somber atmosphere. After simple repetitions in the ten-minute prelude, the music expands, growing in variety and invention in Acts II and III. The effect is mesmerizing, culminating in the sense that ancient myth has grown out of the music.
Conductor Dalia Stasevska was remarkable in her ability to balance the score’s repetitive structures with its expressiveness, and the orchestra was superb, whether scaling emotional highs or capturing moments of lyric beauty.
John Holiday was a wonder. The purity of his sound, the bell-like precision that also expressed layers of emotion, will stay with me long after the performance. His Act II aria in praise of Aten, the Sun god, was glorious, as was his duet with Sun-Ly Pierce as Nefertiti. When the pair entered from opposite wings of the stage, their austere red robes – each with a train that covered the length of the floor – added a touch of Robert Wilson’s spare aesthetic and much welcome simplicity.
As Queen Tye, So Young Park was compelling – excellent in the Act II duet with Holiday and touching in their final trio with Pierce. The elegant Zachary James served as narrator in the speaking role of Amenhotep, and his regal stature and impressive baritone lent a poetic and biblical force to the production.
The rebellious trio of advisors, Yuntong Han, Hyungjin Son and Vinicius Costa, were strong in their Act I trio, and Akhnaten and Nefertiti’s six daughters were touching as they met their doom. Choreographer Sean Gandini and his troupe of jugglers kept things more than lively, and the LAO Chorus under Jeremy Frank was excellent.
Akhnaten is so popular that an extra performance was added, proving once again that contemporary opera has an eager and engaged audience.
Jane Rosenberg
Featured Image: Sun-Ly Pierce (Nefertiti), John Holiday (Akhnaten) and So Young Park (Queen Tye) © Cory Weaver
Production:
Director – Phelim McDermott
Sets – Tom Pye
Costumes – Kevin Pollard
Lighting – Bruno Poet
Choreography – Sean Gandini
Chorus director – Grant Jeremy Frank
Cast:
Akhnaten – John Holiday
Amenhotep – Zachary James
Nefertiti – Sun-Ly Pierce
Queen Tye – So Young Park
High Priest of Amon – Yuntong Han
General Horemhab – Hyungjin Son
Aye – Vinicius Costa
The six daughters of Akhnaten – Emily Damasco, Katie Trigg, Abi Levis, Julia Maria Johnson, Erin Alford, Kristen Choi