Philip Glass Celebrating 50th Anniversary Of ‘Einstein On The Beach’

Celebrated composer Philip Glass is celebrating his 90^th birthday with performances across the globe, including a show commemorating the 50^th anniversary of Glass and Bob Wilson’s theater work, Einstein on the Beach.

The Philip Glass Ensemble returns to venues across the globe with a concert version of Einstein on the Beach, which broke the conventions of the opera by not having a narrative and utilizing image, movement, repetition and music. A major new fully staged experiential production created by English National Opera, Factory International, Park Avenue Armory and Improbable, directed by Phelim McDermott, will premiere in June 2027 at Aviva Studios in Manchester. Narva Opera Festival presents a one-evening-only new staged production in Narva, Estonia on Aug. 15, and ICTUS and Collegium Vocale Gent continue their concert version tour in fall 2026. On the date of the 50th Anniversary, July 25, the late Bob Wilson’s annual benefit at the Watermill Center honored the work with special excerpts and “inspired by” performances. Additional special moments to be announced.

Philip’s 90th birthday seasons of notable performances and events also include: the world premiere performances of Glass’ “Symphony No. 15: Lincoln,” the first of which was held in Boston at Tanglewood on July 5, with following premieres in Santa Cruz July 31, and in Newport News, Virginia in September; global celebrations across opera, theater, dance, symphony and chamber concerts, film and special performances; and special releases from Orange Mountain Music. Find a full calendar of announced performances below.

PHILIP GLASS 90TH BIRTHDAY PERFORMANCES
May 23, 2026-January 7, 2027 — La Belle et la Bête — Augsburg, DE — Staatstheater Augsburg
July 25 – September 12, 2026 — Tao of Glass — London, UK — Tao of Glass
July 31, 2026 — Symphony No. 15 — Santa Cruz, US — Cabrillo Festival
July 31, 2026 — Complete Piano Etudes — La Roque-d’Anthéron, FR — Piano Festival of La Roque d’Anthéron
August 9, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 2 — Taipei, TW — Taipei Symphony Orchestra
August 12, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Chicago, US — Grant Park Music Festival
August 15, 2026 — Einstein on the Beach — Narva, EE — Narva Opera Festival
August 25-26, 2026 — Symphony No. 1 — Tokyo, JP — Future Orchestra Classics
September 5-10, 2026 — Lucinda Childs DANCE — Lyon, FR — Opera de Lyon
September 7, 2026 — Be The Sky — Brisbane, AU — Brisbane Festival
September 12, 2026 — Complete Piano Etudes — Houston, US — Performing Arts Houston
September 16, 2026 — Powaqqatsi Live to Film — Rome, IT — PGE Romaeurope Festival
September 16, 2026 — Einstein on the Beach — Gent, BE — Festival van Vlaanderen
September 18, 2026 — Glassworks and Early Works — Stockholm, SE — PGE Cirkus
September 20, 2026 — Glassworks and Early Works — Copenhagen, DK — PGE Royal Danish Academy of Music
September 22, 2026 — Einstein on the Beach — Valencia, SP — Ensems Festival
September 25-27, 2026 — Symphony No. 15 — Newport News, US — Virginia Symphony
September 26-October 31, 2026 — Waiting for the Barbarians — NL— Nederlandse Reisopera
October 2, 2026 — Mishima Concerto — Hague, NL — Residentie Orkest den Haag
October 9-24, 2026 — Tirol Concerto — Oslo, NO — Norwegian National Ballet
October 10, 2026 — 1000 Airplanes on the Roof (excerpts) — Hamburg, DE — Elbphilharmonie
October 13, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Paris, FR — Paris Philharmonie
October 15-18, 2026 — In the Upper Room — Philadelphia, US — Philadelphia Ballet
October 21-27, 2026 — Petal (Les Enfants Terribles) — New York, NY — American Ballet Theater
October 24-25, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Miami, US — New World Symphony
October 29, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Sofia, BG — Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
October 30, 2026 — Hydrogen Jukebox, Magic Psalm (Etude No.17) — Stanford, US — Stanford Live
November 1, 2026 — Complete Piano Etudes — Charleston, US — Gaillard Center
November 15, 2026 — Vanessa Wagner, Complete Piano Etudes — Rome, IT — Romaeuropa Festival
November 19-21, 2026 — Einstein on the Beach (in concert) — New York, NY — Brooklyn Academy of Music
November 19-21, 2026 — GLA55, Early Works — Berlin, DE — Berliner Festspiele
November 20, 2026 — Complete Piano Etudes — Berklee, US — Cal Performances
November 25-29, 2026 — Lucinda Childs DANCE — Paris, FR — Festival d’Automne
December 4, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Vancouver, CA — Vancouver Symphony
December 5-6, 2026 — Double Piano Concerto — Dresden, DE — Dresdner Philharmonie
December 11-16, 2026 — GLA55, Early Works — Paris, FR — La Vilette
December 11, 2026 — Lucinda Childs DANCE — Dijon, FR — Dijon Opera House
December 16-18, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Munich, DE — Munich Philharmonic
January 20-22, 2027 — GLA55, Early Works — Antwerp, BE — De Singel
January 8-9, 2027 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Charleston, US — Charleston Symphony
January 9-February 20, 2027 — Akhnaten—Berlin, DE — Komische Oper
January 14-15, 2027 — Symphony No. 6 — Brno, CZ — Brno Filharmonie
January 14-16, 2027 — Another Look at Harmony Part IV — New York, US — NYCC
January 21, 2027 — Symphony No. 1, Symphony For Eight, The Hours — Denver, US —Colorado Symphony
January 24-31, 2027 — Philip Glass Festival — Montreal, CA — Bourgie Hall
January 26-30, 2027 — GLA55, Early Works — Brussels, BE — Théâtre National
January 27-29, 2027 — Philip Glass @ 90—San Francisco, US— SF Performances Pivot Festival
January 28, 2027 — Symphony No. 1 — Malmö, SE — Malmö Symfoniorkester
January 29, 2027 — Violin Concerto No. 2 — Hong Kong, CN — Hong Kong Philharmonic
January 30, 2027 — Philip Glass 90: Grand Evening Concert — The Hague, NL — Amare
January 31, 2027 — The 90th Birthday Concert: Symphony No. 15 — Violin Concerto No. 1, “Mechanical Ballet” from The Voyage — New York, US — Carnegie Hall