description The Voyage Overview
The Voyage is an opera in three acts with a prologue and epilogue, composed by Philip Glass to a libretto by David Henry Hwang. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera for the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's first Atlantic voyage, it premiered there in 1992. Rather than offering a conventional Columbus biography, the work presents multiple journeys and encounters across different eras, including imagined extraterrestrial travelers and historical explorers.
help The Voyage FAQ
Who composed The Voyage?
Philip Glass composed The Voyage to a libretto by David Henry Hwang. The opera was commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and premiered there in 1992.
Why did the Metropolitan Opera commission The Voyage?
The commission marked the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's first Atlantic voyage. It was created for the Metropolitan Opera's 1992 season rather than as a standard repertory adaptation.
Is The Voyage a conventional biography of Christopher Columbus?
No. The opera presents Columbus's life and voyages through symbolic, episodic scenes instead of a continuous documentary narrative. Its broad historical subject is treated as theatrical and philosophical as well as biographical.
How is Philip Glass's The Voyage structured?
The opera has a prologue, three acts, and an epilogue. That large structure matches its scope as a 1992 Metropolitan Opera commission about exploration and historical memory.
explore Explore More
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
