On select nights between late February and March, Grand Avenue shifts time zones. Inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA Opera revives Akhnaten, Philip Glass’s hypnotic opera about power, belief, and rupture—performed with the kind of scale and precision that plays best in a room this size.
The production—directed by Phelim McDermott and conducted by Dalia Stasevska in her company debut—returns as part of LA Opera’s 40th Anniversary Season. Countertenor John Holiday leads the cast as the Egyptian pharaoh Akhnaten, bringing a role he’s performed internationally back to Los Angeles.
Glass’s score is built on repetition and momentum, drawing listeners into long arcs rather than tidy arias. The text—sung in ancient Egyptian, Hebrew, and Akkadian—pulls from hymns, prayers, and inscriptions, tracing Akhnaten’s rise and collapse as he attempts to replace Egypt’s many gods with a single deity. It’s the final chapter of Glass’s “portrait trilogy,” following Einstein on the Beach and Satyagraha.
McDermott’s staging, seen previously at English National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and LA Opera, leans into ritual and motion. Scenic design by Tom Pye, costumes by Kevin Pollard, lighting by Bruno Poet, and the signature juggling choreography by Sean Gandini turn the opera into a constantly moving visual field—formal, physical, and immersive.
Holiday is joined by bass Zachary James as Amenhotep III, mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce as Nefertiti, and soprano So Young Park as Queen Tye, alongside members and alumni of LA Opera’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. The result is a cast that blends established international voices with emerging talent—very much in line with the company’s long-term vision.
For audiences, Akhnaten lands as both a musical experience and a full-bodied night out: bold staging, relentless rhythm, and a story that feels ancient and unsettlingly modern.
More Info & Tickets: laopera.org
Venue: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
Dates & Times:
Saturday, February 28, 2026 – 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 8, 2026 – 2 pm
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 7:30 pm
Thursday, March 19, 2026 – 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 22, 2026 – 2 pm
Tickets: Starting at $33.50
Photo credits: LA Opera courtesy of Craig T. Mathew. Photos courtesy of Cerritos Towne Center
