Einstein on the Beach is hardcore Philip Glass with its frenzied (and repetitive) pace, nonsensical poems, and exhaustive length. While this opera helped propel his fame, I would not recommend diving into it if you are looking for an introduction to what Philip Glass writes. Personally, I discovered and grew to love this music through the compilation CD, Songs from the Trilogy. It is cheaper than any recording of these three operas and lets you hear the best of what they have to offer. Of the three, I think Einstein on the Beach is the most difficult to appreciate and even after purchasing, it sat on my shelf. Yet, over time, I begin to hear more than the "One, two, three" and violins sawing away: there's a delicate sound beneath it all. Akhnaten and Satyagraha have this quality as well, but it's easier to hear at first listening. So if you're a casual Philip Glass listener, be prepared to not like Einstein at first because it is so much different than his more recent releases.
For die-hard Glass fans, this recording is the longer (and cheaper) of the two available. If you enjoy his Music in Twelve Parts and other earlier works, this opera is a real treat. Since Einstein is such a monumental piece in the Glass library, it's a must buy. But if you're looking for something less hardcore, try Songs from the Trilogy. I gave five stars because when compared to other music, it's still awe-inspiring, but when compared to other Philip Glass music, especially the other two operas, it rates three stars.
\By Richard Morgan

Lucinda Childs (choreographer)
This seminal work of avant-garde opera from composer Philip Glass and director Robert Wilson arrives full-circle, coming o France, the site of its 1976 Avignon Festival world premiere, at the tail end of this 2014 revival tour for a landmark Theâtre du Châtelet production and a first ever filming by award-winning arts filmmaker Don Kent. Eschewing onventional narrative, the opera revolves loosely around pacifist Einstein’s relationship to the creation of the atomic bomb. In continuity with the opera’s debut, for this new production, hailed by Le Figaro as ‘meticulously crafted total artwork in which the visual and musical craft are inseparable’, the music is again performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble and the choreography devised by original cast member Lucinda Childs for her Lucinda Childs Dance Company, with the scenes taking place under Bob Wilson’s own digitally remastered light design.
This very special release is packaged in a luxurious 56 page hardcover book.
‘‘I don’t care about music theory, I’m only interested in listening to music. I begin by listening. Like images emerging from the mist and becoming visible.’’ Phlip Glass
Running time: 263 minutes
Sound format: LPCM & DTS Master Audio 5.1