Satyagraha
Philip Glass’s landmark opera portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.
A collaboration with English National Opera and The Metropolitan Opera, New York.
Presented and revived eight times in both London, New York and Los Angeles, Philip Glass’s Satyagraha was Improbable’s first collaboration with English National Opera.
Satyagraha is the second in Glass’s landmark trilogy of “portrait” operas about men who changed the world. Based on Mahatma Gandhi’s early years in South Africa, the opera explores how the spiritual and political leader developed non-violent protest into a powerful force for change. The opera was first produced as India marked their 60th year of independence.
The orchestra and chorus play a pivotal role in this hauntingly beautiful and spiritual ensemble piece, which is performed in Sanskrit, the melodic language of the Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), to which Gandhi referred daily.
Satyagraha was most recently revived at ENO in London in 2021, with Sean Panikkar – ‘a Gandhi firm of voice and full of charisma’ (LA Times) – reprising the role of Ghandi and leading a cast that also featured bass-baritone Musa Ngqungwana as Lord Krishna and Harewood Artist William Thomas as Parsi Rustomji. Carolyn Kuan, ‘one of the most exciting and outstanding conductors of her generation’ (Marin Alsop) also made her ENO debut.
"Occasionally, a production comes along that is so responsive to the music and the drama that it becomes one with the work it’s staging... A magnificent show.”
★★★★★ Evening Standard
“An unforgettable experience.”
★★★★★ The Stage
“The images and icons that the Improbable team create with the simplest materials are astonishing even on a fourth viewing.”
The Times
Press and reviews:
Find out more about the production with the ENO learning resources.
Creative Team (ENO 2021):
Conducted by Carolyn Kuan
Directed by Phelim McDermott
Revival Director Peter Relton
Set design by Julian Crouch
Associate Director Julian Crouch
Costume design by Kevin Pollard
Lighting design by Paule Constable
Revival Lighting Designer Kevin Sleep
Video design by 59
Revival Movement Director & Puppetry Rob Thirtle
Deputy Skills and Puppetry Director Iskandar ردنكسإ bin Sharazuddin
Performers (ENO 2021):
M K Gandhi: Sean Panikkar
Lord Krishna: Musa Ngqungwana
Parsi Rustomji: William Thomas
Mrs Alexander: Sarah Pring
Kasturbai: Felicity Buckland
Miss Schlesen: Gabriella Cassidy
Mr Kallenbach: James Cleverton
Prince Arjuna: Ross Ramgobin
Skills Ensemble (ENO 2021):
Alex Harvey
Charlotte Mooney
Helena Parke
Philip Eddolls
Rayo Patel
Robert Thirtle
Iskandar ردنكسإ bin Sharazuddin
Caroline Partridge
Radhika Aggarwal
Jack Parker
Kit Esuruoso
Neran Persaud
Ulrika Krishnamurti
Creative Team (LA Opera, 2018):
Conducted by Grant Gershon
Directed by Phelim McDermott
Associate direction by Peter Relton
Costume design by Kevin Pollard
Original lighting design by Paule Constable
Lighting by Tony Simpson
Projections by 59
Chorus directed by Grant Gershon
Movement and puppetry by Rob Thirtle
Photography by Cory Weaver and Tristram Kenton
Performers (LA Opera, 2018):
Gandhi: Sean Panikkar
Miss Schlesen: So Young Park
Mrs. Naidoo: Erica Petrocelli
Kasturbai: J'Nai Bridges
Mr. Kallenbach: Theo Hoffman
Parsi Rustomji: Morris Robinson
Mrs. Alexander: Niru Liu
Lord Krishna: Patrick Blackwell
Prince Arjuna: Michael J. Hawk
Skills Ensemble (LA Opera, 2018):
Caroline Partridge
David Carr
Helena Parke (Aerialist)
Jack Parker
Kumar Muniandy
Lynsey Murrell
Nathan Johnston (Aerialist)
Radhika Aggarwal
Rayo Patel
Rob Thirtle
Tibu Fortes
Tina Koch (Aerialist)
