I have used a 10 star valuation simply because there are no apples to compare with these oranges. Even if you love Philip Glass, theater, minimalism, and startlingly unique performances, watching this production straight through may be a challenge. I hereby give you permission to read a book, catch up on your correspondence, play chess, update your blog or otherwise engage in activities which do not demand your complete attention while enjoying this performance. If you have two screens, set the other to loop KOYAANISQATSI or LA ROUE or run a playlist of your favorite silent films. Use your brain for something besides a sponge. Happy hunting.

First off, I love Phillip Glass' music and have listened to him for years. Two of my favourite Glass pieces are from Einstein on the Beach (the opera debut was in 1976).

But it's... long! 4.5 hours non stop minimalist music and acting.

Phillip Glass said "It's a story that you have to create for yourself. We don't give you a plot; we give you a theme. And the audience completes the story." As a story, this opera's a lengthy tome!

It's a delightful opera to look at if one only views a few of the acts at a time (called 'knees' in the opera). My low rating is because it simply is too long a production. Trying to sit through the entire 4.5 hours at once is as enjoyable as undergoing a frontal lobotomy.

I love theatre - give me a quality production of. Phantom or Les Miserables.any day. But this nonsense without any purpose or point, is clearly university student level arty farty gibberish, complying with the liberal quota mandates. Totally self-indulgent artistic nonsense. Nothing about this at all warrants more than a 2 - the music is incoherent at best and off-key at worst.