Philip Glass’ opera “Akhnaten”, premiered in Stuttgart in 1984, forms the third part of the portrait opera trilogy about personalities who have influenced the course of human history. The conclusion of the trilogy deals with the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, who attempted to establish a kind of monotheistic cult around the god Aton during his reign in the 14th century BC, but failed due to the resistance of the priesthood. The production presented here was undoubtedly one of the very great successes of the 2019/20 season at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, due not only to the outstanding cast of singers (led by countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo) but also to Phelim McDermott’s imaginative staging, which captivates with sometimes breathtaking imagery.
Anthony Roth Costanzo
as Akhnaten
J’Nai Bridges
as Nefertiti
Dísella Lárusdóttir
as Queen Tye
Zachary James
as Amenhotep III / A professor
Richard Berstein
as Aye
Will Liverman
as General Horemhab
Aaron Blake
as High Priest of Amon
Lindsay Ohse
as Bekhetaten
Karen Chia-ling Ho
as Meretaten
Chrystal E. Williams
as Maketaten
Annie Rosen
as Ankhesenpaaten
Olivia Vote
as Neferneferuaten
