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"Improbable is one of the brilliant faces of British Theatre"
The Observer
Tao of Glass
Produced by Manchester International Festival, Improbable, and the Royal Exchange Theatre
Commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Improbable, Perth Festival, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen and Carolina Performing Arts – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Guardian
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Times
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What’s On Stage
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Younger Theatre
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bachtrack
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ North West End
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Theatre Reviews North
⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Telegraph
⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Observer
⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Arts Desk
An exploration of life, loss and a single question: Where does true inspiration come from?
Composer Philip Glass and performer-director Phelim McDermott have worked together on acclaimed opera productions in London, New York and beyond, and Tao of Glass is their most personal collaboration yet. Inspired by a dream, this world premiere marries ten meditations on life, death and Taoist wisdom with ten brand new pieces of music from Glass, presented by McDermott with an ensemble of musicians and puppeteers.
Part-concert, part-performance, Tao of Glass is a storytelling tapestry, soundtracked by Glass’s mesmerising music and shot through with Improbable’s trademark theatricality.
Read Phelim’s interview with Bachtrack about the project.
May contain strong language.
#TaoOfGlass
Upcoming Dates
Perth Festival 2020, Perth, Australia (dates TBA)
Ruhrfestspiele 2020, Recklinghausen, Germany (dates TBA)
Previous Dates
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester – Thu 11 – Sat 20 July 2019
Creative Team
Philip Glass – Composer
Phelim McDermott – Writer & Co-Director
Kirsty Housley – Co-Director
Fly Davis – Designer
Colin Grenfell – Lighting Designer
Giles Thomas – Sound Designer
Ragnar Freidank – Collaborator
Chris Vatalaro – Musical Director
Jen Tan – Assistant Director
Lyndie Wright – Puppet Designer & Puppet Maker
Camille Etchart – Design Associate
Sorcha Steele – Sound Associate
Performers
David Emmings – Puppeteer
Janet Etuk – Puppeteer
Phelim McDermott – Performer
Jack McNeill – Ensemble (Clarinet)
Rakhi Singh – Ensemble (Violin)
Katherine Tinker – Ensemble (Piano)
Chris Vatalaro – Ensemble (Percussion)
Sarah Wright – Puppeteer & Puppet Co-ordinator
Current Productions
Future Sounds
A new three-year programme of opera and music theatre work. From the stories we tell to the process used to tell them, join Improbable in creating music and opera that is in - and of - the moment.
Tao of Glass
An exploration of life, loss and a single question: Where does true inspiration come from? This new collaboration between Philip Glass and Phelim McDermott marries ten meditations on life, death and Taoist wisdom with ten brand new pieces of music.
Akhnaten at Met Opera
Philip Glass's mesmerising opera about the life and religious convictions of the Egyptian pharaoh and forms the last of Philip Glass’s trilogy of ‘portrait’ operas
