Atlas is an opera in three acts composed by Meredith Monk who also wrote the libretto and choreographed the dances. It is scored for 18 voices and a small chamber orchestra which includes a shawm and a glass harmonica.[1] The story is very loosely based on the life and writings of the explorer Alexandra David-Néel, where "travel is a metaphor for spiritual quest and commitment to inner vision."[2] The story is told primarily through wordless vocal sounds with brief interjections of spoken text in Mandarin Chinese and English.
The opera was co-commissioned by Houston Grand Opera, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia. It premiered at Houston Grand Opera on February 22, 1991.
- ^ Grimshaw, Jeremy. "Atlas, an opera in 3 parts for 18 voices & large ensemble". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ^ The Sound House, composed and directed by Meredith Monk, program used for touring production in the United Kingdom, October 1995.