WORLD PREMIERE OF GLASS’ SYMPHONY NO. 15: LINCOLN BY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT TANGLEWOOD JULY 5 WITH SUBSEQUENT PREMIERES WORLDWIDE
Glass’ Symphony No. 15: Lincoln, based on a collection of Abraham Lincoln’s speeches and letters, will receive its world premiere in Boston on July 5, 2026 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood with subsequent premieres worldwide: West Coast Premiere July 31, 2026 at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, CA; Virginia Premiere September 25-27, 2026 by the Virginia Symphony in Newport News, VA; and in 2027, the New York Premiere January 31, 2027 by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall; the UK Premiere January 31, 2027 at the Southbank Centre; the Los Angeles premiere March 12-13, 2027 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall; and the Baltimore premiere June 4-6, 2027 by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Additional performance dates to be announced.
Glass’ symphony for baritone and orchestra completes his long history of exploration of historical figures, bringing timely themes and lessons from Abraham Lincoln to the modern day for his symphony. Initially slated to be debuted at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing arts in June, Glass withdrew the piece, stating, “Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”
Glass has shared two excerpts from the libretto: the first, adapted from Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Speech—one of his earliest known speeches at age 28—from January 27, 1838, reads: “There is, even now, something of ill-omen amongst us. The lawless in spirit, having regarded Government as their deadliest bane, make a jubilee of the suspension of its operation. There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law. We hope all dangers may be overcome, but some man possessed of ambition will spring up among us. Distinction will be his paramount object, and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down. Let a reverence for the constitution and laws; and that we remained free to the last; awaken our WASHINGTON. Let the proud fabric of freedom rest, as the rock of its basis; and ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’”
The second excerpt, taken from the final lines of Abraham Lincoln’s Farewell Address of February 11, 1861 reads: “Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH
Einstein on the Beach, Glass and the late Bob Wilson’s seminal work for theater, will celebrate 50 years in 2026. Held in memory of Wilson, the celebration will include a worldwide concert tour from the Philip Glass Ensemble with dates to be announced; a European concert tour from ICTUS, Collegium Vocale Gent and Suzanne Vega in May and September, 2026; a new experiential production created by English National Opera, Factory International, Park Avenue Armory and Improbable, directed by Phelim McDermott, to premiere June 2027 at Aviva Studios, Manchester, UK; and more special moments to be announced. The opera Einstein on the Beach is regarded as a seminal moment in 20th century theater. Created by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass in 1976, the original production premiered at the Avignon Festival on July 25, 1976, causing a rave of discourse about upending conventions of score, plot and staging wherever it went on its initial tour across Europe. In a watershed cultural moment, the opera arrived at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in November 1976 with two performances which became the stuff of myth. Subsequent productions brought the Wilson/Glass vision into focus, including 1984 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music which incorporated choreography by Lucinda Childs for the first time. Glass and Wilson’s direct involvement culminated in a touring production 2012-2015, for the last time under the supervision of the original creators, which harnessed the latest technical advances, especially in Wilson’s lighting, and the crystalline musical fluency of the Philip Glass Ensemble. Since its original production, new directors and companies took on Einstein on the Beach, including productions in Stuttgart (1988), Dortmund (2017), Geneva (2019), Kanagawa (2022), Basel, Berlin and Vienna (2021-22), Buenos Aires (2024) and a recent traveling production by ICTUS ensemble. The work celebrates 50 years with new productions, and performances by the original performers of the work, The Philip Glass Ensemble, all in honor of the late Bob Wilson.
GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS ACROSS OPERA, THEATER, DANCE, SYMPHONIC AND CHAMBER CONCERTS, FILM, SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Glass’ 90th Birthday season brings together opera companies, orchestras, choreographers and dance institutions, festivals and special programming to be announced across the globe. New productions, revivals and concert presentations will define the enduring global reach of Glass’ work. The celebration also includes special birthday performances on January 31, 2027; a list of performances can be found below, with more to be announced shortly.
OPERA and THEATER
Glass’ operas will receive revivals and new productions across the U.S. and Europe, including a concert production of Akhnaten at Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Netherlands on June 6, 2026 and Barrie Kosky’s acclaimed Akhnaten production returning to Berlin in January 2027. An excerpt from Akhnaten will also be performed as part of the Metropolitan Opera’s Diamond Jubilee on May 25, 2027.
The “Cocteau Trilogy” of operas—Orphée, Les Enfants Terribles, and La Belle et la Bête—receive new productions worldwide, including La Belle et la Bête in Augsburg, Germany May 23, 2026-January 7, 2027, and Paris, France February 3-11, 2027, and a two-piano version of the Trilogy with Katia & Marielle Labeques touring throughout 2027.
Two rarely performed Glass works will receive new productions: Waiting for the Barbarians in its first revival since its 2005 premiere with performances in the Netherlands September 26-October 31, 2026, and The Juniper Tree in its Chicago, IL premiere with the Chicago Opera Theater May 19-23, 2027.
Tao of Glass, Glass and Phelim McDermott’s 2019 collaboration, will have its London West End premiere with performances July 25-September 12, 2026.
SYMPHONIC Special symphonic programs celebrating Philip’s 90th Birthday include multiple all-Glass events, starting June 5-6, 2026 at NCH Dublin Ireland with the NSO Ireland conducted by Dennis Russell Davies; January 31, 2027 at Carnegie Hall with Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Dennis Russell Davies; a multi-day celebration on January 30 and 31, 2027 at the Southbank Centre with performances of Symphony No. 15, Music in 12 Parts, and more; the Boston Symphony Orchestra led by Dennis Russell Davies February 11-13, 2027; the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra led by Anne Manson February 18-24, 2027; and the Los Angeles Philharmonic led by Anna Handler March 12-13, 2027.
Glass’ seminal work Violin Concerto No. 1 will receive numerous performances across the U.S. and Europe, including Chicago on August 12, 2026; Paris on October 13, 2026; Miami October 24-25, 2026; Vancouver December 4, 2026; Munich December 16-18, 2026; Charleston January 8-9, 2027; New York on January 31, 2027; Los Angeles March 12-13, 2027; and Aix-en-Provence April 2-4, 2027. Violin Concerto No. 2 will be presented in Stellenbosch, South Africa July 3, 2026 and in Manitoba, Canada February 24, 2027. Symphony No. 1 will be presented by Orchestra of St. Luke’s led by conductor Joe Hisaishi July 10-11, 2026 at Carnegie Hall in New York, by the Colorado Symphony led by conductor Peter Oundjian January 21, 2027, and by Malmö Symfoniorkester led by conductor Karen Kamensek January 28, 2027. Glass’ Mishima Concerto arranged by Michael Riesman will receive its Ireland Premiere June 6, 2026 by the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, and Dutch Premiere in The Hague by Residentie Orkest den Haag, October 2, 2026. Symphony No. 6 will be presented by Filharmonie Brno led by Dennis Russell Davies January 14-15, 2027 in Brno, Czechia. Symphony No. 8 will be presented by Japan Century Symphony Orchestra led by Dennis Russel Davies February 19, 2027 in Osaka, Japan.
CHAMBER/SOLO
The Allen Ginsberg Estate celebrates Ginsberg’s Centennial and Philip Glass’ 90th with live performances of Magic Psalm (Etude No.17) in London, UK on July 12, 2026 and Stanford, US on October 30, 2026. Pomegranate Arts will present Glass’ Complete Piano Etudes at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA July 22, 2026, at Performing Arts Houston, TX September 12, 2026, Gaillard Center Charleston, SC November 1, 2026, and with Cal Performances Berkeley, CA November 20, 2026. The Philip Glass Ensemble performs the seminal work Glassworks in Stockholm and Copenhagen, and a selection of Early Works programs in Toronto, Stockholm, and Copenhagen in 2026. San Francisco Performances will present Philip Glass @ 90, a series of three concerts featuring Glass’ collaborators Timo Andres, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Kronos Quartet to celebrate Glass’ 90th birthday, January 27-29, 2027. Lavinia Meijer, Feico Deutekom and Cappella Amsterdam present a chamber music and choral evening, Philip Glass 90, on January 30, 2027. James McVinnie and his ensemble will perform the rare Dance Nos. 1-5 at the Barbican Centre in London, UK on February 3, 2027. Pianist VÃkingur Ólafsson will tour a 90th birthday tribute solo piano concert in Spring 2027. Maki Namekawa will present an evening of Glass’ solo piano music at the Paris Philharmonie June 7, 2027. Third Coast Percussion will present Ripples in the Water: Philip Glass at 90 on a worldwide tour, featuring TCP’s arrangements of Aguas da Amazonia and Metamorphosis One, performances to be announced.
DANCE
Glass’ birthday season dance programming features works from preeminent choreographers and Glass collaborators, including Benjamin Millepied’s new work City of Dance (music: Koyaanisqatsi) with the L.A. Dance Project in Los Angeles June 2-21, 2026, Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot’s Shoot the Moon (music: Tirol Concerto) at the Royal Ballet in London June 11-20, 2026 and Norwegian National Ballet October 9-24, 2026, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room at the Philadelphia Ballet October 15-18, 2026 and the Vienna State Opera March 13-April 5, 2027, Lucinda Childs’ DANCE performances in 26/27 season, Childs’ Distant Figure (music: Passacaglia for Solo Piano) June 26-28, 2026 at Bard SummerScape and Childs’ new choreography Another Look at Harmony Part IV to premiere at New York City Center, January 14-16, 2027, and David Dawson’s Metamorphosis (music: Metamorphosis 1-5) at the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam March 27-April 4, 2027.
FILM
The Philip Glass Ensemble will tour performing the Qatsi Trilogy Live to Film, celebrating Godfrey Reggio’s seminal Qatsi films—Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi—with live performances of the scores while the films are screened. Powaqqatsi will be presented in Rome September 16, 2026. Koyaanisqatsi will be presented in Minneapolis March 9, 2027 and in Philadelphia, PA April 25, 2027 with additional performances to be announced. ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC SPECIAL RELEASES In the lead up to Glass’ 90th Birthday, Orange Mountain Music released an EP celebrating Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg’s friendship and long collaborative history.
Allen Ginsberg – One Hundred was released May 15 in honor of Allen Ginsberg’s centennial. The three track EP includes Magic Psalm (Etude No. 17), a new release for piano and spoken word based on Philip Glass’ original sketch of Etude No. 17. The rediscovered manuscript, titled “Etude No. 17 (Magic Psalm)”, was found tucked away in a book of Allen Ginsberg’s poems in Glass’s library. It was presumably written with Ginsberg’s 1960 poem Magic Psalm on Glass’ mind, akin to their first collaboration Wichita Vortex Sutra. For Allen Ginsberg’s Centennial in 2026, the Ginsberg Estate and Glass brought this old-new idea to life, with Allen Ginsberg’s archival reading of Magic Psalm (1960) and pianist Maki Namekawa’s recording of Glass’ Etude No. 17 (2012) from OMM. Two existing recordings, Wichita Vortex Sutra and Have You Seen This Movie (Distant Figure), are re-released on the EP.
Additional special releases from OMM to be announced.
ABOUT PHILIP GLASS
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Philip Glass is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School. In the early 1960s, Glass spent two years of intensive study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and, while there, earned money by transcribing Ravi Shankar’s Indian music into Western notation. By 1974, Glass had a number of innovative projects creating a large collection of new music for The Philip Glass Ensemble and the Mabou Mines Theater Company. This period culminated in Music in Twelve Parts and the landmark opera Einstein on the Beach, for which he collaborated with Robert Wilson. Since Einstein, Glass has expanded his repertoire to include music for opera, dance, theater, chamber ensemble, orchestra and film. His scores have received Academy Award nominations (Kundun, The Hours, Notes on a Scandal) and a Golden Globe (The Truman Show). Glass’s memoir Words Without Music was published by Liveright Books in 2015. Glass received the Praemium Imperiale in 2012, the U.S. National Medal of the Arts from President Barack Obama in 2016, and the 41st Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.
Philip Glass Solo, Glass’ most recent album, came out in January 2024 to acclaim from The New York Times, NPR Music and more. Further recent works include a circus opera Circus Days and Nights, Prelude pour Orgue written for the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris, FR, and Symphony No. 15.
PHILIP GLASS 90TH BIRTHDAY PERFORMANCES MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED May 20-30, 2026—Einstein on the Beach—EUR—ICTUS May 21-23, 2026—Meetings Along the Edge—Toronto, CA—Toronto Symphony May 23, 2026-January 7, 2027—La Belle et la Bête—Augsburg, DE—Staatstheater Augsburg May 28, 2026—Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists— Birmingham, UK—City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra June 2-21, 2026—Koyaanisqatsi—Los Angeles, US—LA Dance Project June 5, 2026—Ifé, Symphony No. 8, excerpts from Akhnaten—Dublin, IE—NCH June 6, 2026—The Light, Interlude from The Voyage, Mishima Concerto—Dublin, IE—NCH June 6, 2026—Akhnaten—Amsterdam, NL—Concertgebouw June 9, 2026—The Hours Suite—New York, US—Central Park June 11-20, 2026—Tirol Concerto—London, UK—Royal Ballet June 20, 2026—Early Works—Toronto, CA—PGE Luminato Festival June 24-26, 2026—Etudes, Wichita Vortex Sutra—Los Angeles, US—NYCB June 26-28, 2026—Passacaglia for Solo Piano—Annandale-On-Hudson, US—Bard College July 3, 2026—Violin Concerto No. 2—Stellenbosch, ZA —Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival July 5, 2026—Symphony No. 15 (World Premiere)—Lenox, US—BSO at Tanglewood July 10-11, 2026—Symphony No. 1—New York, US Carnegie Hall July 12, 2026—Magic Psalm (Etude No. 17) —London, UK—Southbank Centre July 22, 2026—Complete Piano Etudes—Lenox, US—Tanglewood July 25-September 12, 2026—Tao of Glass—London, UK— Tao of Glass July 31, 2026—Symphony No. 15—Santa Cruz, US—Cabrillo Festival August 12, 2026—Violin Concerto No. 1—Chicago, US—Grant Park Music Festival September 5-10, 2026—Lucinda Childs DANCE — Lyon, FR—Opera de Lyon September 12, 2026—Complete Piano Etudes—Houston, US—Performing Arts Houston September 16, 2026—Powaqqatsi Live to Film—Rome, IT—PGE Romaeurope Festival 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 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—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 24-25, 2026—Violin Concerto No. 1—Miami, US—New World Symphony 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 20, 2026—Complete Piano Etudes— Berklee, US—Cal Performances December 4, 2026—Violin Concerto No. 1—Vancouver, CA—Vancouver Symphony December 16-18, 2026—Violin Concerto No. 1—Munich, DE—Munich Philharmonic 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 27-29, 2027—Philip Glass @ 90—San Francisco, US—SF Performances Pivot Festival January 28, 2027—Symphony No. 1—Malmö, SE—Malmö Symfoniorkester 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 January 31, 2027—Glass Birthday Festival: Symphony 15, Music in 12 Parts, String Quartets— London, UK—Southbank Centre February 3-11, 2027—La Belle et la Bête—Paris, FR—Theatre du Chatelet February 3, 2027—Dance Nos. 1-5—London, UK—Barbican Centre February 11-13, 2027— Violin Concerto No. 1, Symphony No. 11, Days and Nights in Rocinha —Boston, US—Boston Symphony Orchestra February 18, 2027—The Hours, Symphony No. 3 —Manitoba, CA—Manitoba Chamber Orchestra February 19, 2027—Symphony No. 8—Osaka, JP—Japan Century Symphony Orchestra February 24, 2027— VÃkingur Ólafsson, Various piano works—Los Angeles, US—Walt Disney Hall February 24, 2027—Violin Concerto No. 2 — Manitoba, CA—Manitoba Chamber Orchestra February 25-26, 2027—Double Concerto for Violin and Cello —Leipzig, DE—Gewandhausorchester February 28, 2027—VÃkingur Ólafsson, Various piano works—Boston, US—Symphony Hall February 28, 2027—String Quartet No. 2—Munich, DE—Munich Philharmonic March 2, 2027—VÃkingur Ólafsson, Various piano works— New York, US— Carnegie Hall March 9, 2027—Koyaanisqatsi Live to Film—Minneapolis, US—Northrop March 12-13, 2027—Violin Concerto No. 1, Symphony No. 15, Mad Rush —Los Angeles, US—LA Philharmonic March 13-April 5, 2027—In the Upper Room—Vienna, AT—Wiener Staatsoper March 27-April 4, 2027—Metamorphosis 1-5—Amsterdam, NL—Dutch National Ballet April 2-4, 2027—Violin Concerto No. 1—Aix-en-Provence, FR—Munich Philharmonic April 25, 2027—Koyaanisqatsi Live to Film—Philadelphia, US—Penn Live Arts May 19-23, 2027—The Juniper Tree—Chicago, US—Chicago Opera Theater May 25, 2027—Excerpt from Akhnaten—New York, US—Met Opera May 27-29, 2027—Cocteau Trilogy—Paris, FR—Philharmonie de Paris May 31, 2027—The Light—Chicago, US—Chicago Symphony June 4-6, 2027—Symphony No. 15—Baltimore, US—Baltimore Symphony June 7, 2027—Maki Namekawa, Various piano works—Paris, FR—Philharmonie de Paris June 10-26, 2027—Tirol Concerto—Vienna, AT—Volksoper Wein Ballet June 26, 2027—VÃkingur Ólafsson, Various piano works—Vienna, AS—Musikverein Wien June 29, 2027—VÃkingur Ólafsson, Various piano works—Hamburg, DE—Elbphilharmonie June 2027—Einstein on the Beach—Manchester UK—Aviva Studios
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