Philip Glass Biography (1937-)

Born January 31, 1937, in Baltimore, MD; son of Benjamin Charles (a record store owner) and Ida (maiden name, Gouline) Glass; married Jo Anne Akalaitis (an actress and director), July 15, 1965 (divorced, 1980); married Luba Burtyk(an internist), October 1980 (divorced); married Candy Jernigan (died, 1991);married Holly Critchlow, 2001; children: (first marriage) Zachary, Juliet; (fourth marriage) Cameron. Addresses: Manager: Kraft-Engel Management,15233 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Composer, musician, director, screenwriter

Birth Details

January 31, 1937

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Work
• Director, 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Vienna International Airport, Vienna, Austria, 1987
• Stage Appearances
• Grace for Grace, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City,1991
• Film Work
• Music supervisor and transcriptionist, Chappaqua, Regional, 1967
• Music director, Koyaanisqatsi, New Yorker, 1982
• Dramaturgical consultant, Powaqqatsi (also known as Powaqqatsi:Life in Transformation), Cannon, 1988
• Director, Anima Mundi (documentary short film; also known as The Soul of the World), 1991
• Creative musical supervisor and musical supervisor, Closet Land, Universal, 1991
• Song arranger, Exposure, 1991
• Film Appearances
• Four American Composers, Trans Atlantic Films, 1983
• Narrator, A Composer's Notes: Philip Glass and the Making of an Opera (also known as A Composer's Notes), Michael Blackwell Productions,1985
• The Kitchen Presents Two Moon July (also known as Two Moon July), 1986
• Robert Wilson and the Civil Wars (documentary), Unisphere, 1987
• Music performer, Christo in Paris (documentary), 1990
• John Cage: Man and Myth, 1990
• Himself, The Nova Convention Revisited (also known as The NovaConvention Revisited: William S. Burroughs and the Arts), 1998
• Keyboard artist, The Truman Show, Paramount, 1998
• A Brief History of Errol Morris (documentary), 2000
• Armonie dell'Estasi (documentary), 2000
• Himself, Jonas at the Ocean, 2001
• Himself, Powaqqatsi: Impact of Progress (documentary short film),MGM/UA Home Entertainment, 2002
• Television Appearances
• Miniseries
• Himself, Music with Roots in the Aether: Opera for Television by Robert Ashley, 1974
• Specials
• Himself, "Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera," Great Performances, PBS, 1986
• Timeless Voices: The Gyuto Monks, The Discovery Channel, 1989
• Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul (also known as American Masters: Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul), PBS, 1995
• Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress, PBS, 1998
• Interviewee, Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart, PBS, 1998
• Himself, The Nova Convention Revisited (also known as The NovaConvention Revisited: William S. Burroughs and the Arts), 1998
• Lincoln Center Festival 2001, PBS, 2001
• Episodic
• Musical guest, Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1986
• Late Night with David Letterman, 1986
• Himself, Sessions at West 54th, PBS, 1997
• RECORDINGS
• Albums; with Philip Glass Ensemble
• The Photographer: For Violin, Chorus, and Instruments, CBS Masterworks, 1982
• Glassworks, CBS Masterworks, 1982
• Koyaanisqatsi, Antilles, 1983
• Einstein on the Beach, CBS Masterworks, 1985
• Songs from Liquid Days, CBS Masterworks, 1987
• Akhnaten, CBS Masterworks, 1988
• Dancepieces, CBS Masterworks, 1988
• Mad Rush; Metamorphosis; Wichita Sutra Vortex, CBS Masterworks, 1989
• Music in Twelve Parts, Virgin, 1990
• Symphony No. 2, Saxophone Quartet Concerto, Atlantic, 1998
• Also recorded North Star, Virgin International; Satyagraha,CBS.
• Albums
• Strung Out: For Amplified Violin, Xenakis, 1968
• Einstein on the Beach, CBS, 1979
• Modern Love Waltz: For Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Electric Piano, CRI, 1980
• Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (original soundtrack), Nonesuch,1985
• Satyagraha, CBS, 1985
• North Star, Virgin, 1986
• Solo Piano, CBS, 1989
• The Thin Blue Line, 1989
• 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Virgin, 1989
• The Essential Philip Glass, 1993
• Low, 1993
• La Belle et la Bete, 1995
• (Joseph Conrad's) The Secret Agent (original soundtrack), 1996
• Kundun: Music from the Original Soundtrack, 1997
• Glassmaster, Sony Classics, 1997
• Philip on Film, 2001
• Other albums include Company: For String Quartet, Nonesuch; Facades: For Flute and Strings, Angel; and Music for Violin Solo (from Einstein on the Beach), New World.
• WRITINGS
• Stage Scores
• Music for Voices, Mabou Mines Theatre, 1970
• Mabou Mines Performs Samuel Becket, Theatre for the New City, NewYork City, 1975
• Einstein on the Beach (opera), Avignon, France, and other Europeanvenues, then the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, all 1976
• Dressed Like an Egg, Mabou Mines, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, New York City, 1977
• Dead End Kids, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1980
• Satyagraha (opera), commissioned by the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1980
• The Photographer (opera), 1982
• (With Robert Wilson and Maita di Niscemi) the CIVIL warS: a tree is best measured when it is down, 1982
• Samuel Beckett's Company, Mabou Mines, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1983
• Cold Harbor, Mabou Mines, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1983
• Glass Pieces (ballet from Glassworks and Akhnaten),New York City Ballet, New York State Theatre, New York City, 1983
• Opening and closing music, Suzanna Andler, South Street Theatre, New York City, 1984
• Incidental music, Endgame, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge,MA, 1984
• Akhnaten (opera), commissioned by the Wurttemberg State Theatre, state of Wurttemberg, West Germany (now Germany), 1984
• (With Robert Moran and Arthur Yorinks) The Juniper Tree, AmericanRepertory Theatre, 1985
• "A Madrigal Opera," An Evening of Micro-Operas, Mark Taper Forum,Los Angeles, 1985
• (With Matthew Maguire and Molissa Fenley) Descent into the Maelstrom (theatre and dance piece; based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story of thesame name), commissioned by the Australian Dance Theatre, 1985
• (With Doris Lessing) The Making of the Representative for Planet 8(three-act opera), Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Houston, TX, Kiel, West Germany (now Germany), and London, 1985-1986
• 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Vienna International Airport, Vienna,Austria, 1987, then Beacon Theatre, New York City, 1988
• The Fall of the House of Usher (two-act opera; based on the EdgarAllan Poe novel of the same name), commissioned by the Kentucky Opera and theAmerican Repertory Theatre, 1988
• Cymbeline, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public/Newman Theatre, New York City, 1989
• Henry IV, Part I, Public/Newman Theatre, 1991
• The Voyage, commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera House, 1992
• The Mysteries and What's So Funny?, Joyce Theatre, New York City,1992-1993
• Orphee, American Repertory Theatre, 1992-1993
• Woyzeck, Public/Newman Theatre, 1992-1993
• In the Summer House, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1993
• La belle et la bete, Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, 1994
• Prisoner of Love, New York Theatre Workshop, New York City, 1995
• The Marriages between Zones Three, Four, and Five (opera; based onthe work of Doris Lessing), Heidelberg, Germany, 1997
• Monsters of Grace (opera), Barbican Theatre, New York City, 1998
• In the Penal Colony, Court Theater, Chicago, IL, 2000, then Classic Stage Company, 2001
• White Raven, New York State Theatre, New York City, 2001
• Galileo Galilei, Goodman Theater, Chicago, IL, 2002
• The Elephant Man, Royale Theatre, New York City, 2002
• The Sound of a Voice, Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge, MA, 2003
• Composed music for the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and for the choreographer Lar Lubovitch.
• Film Scores
• Mark Di Suvero, Sculptor (also known as North Star: Mark di Suvero), Parrot Productions, 1977
• (Uncredited) Suspiria (also known as Dario Argento's Suspiria and Suspiria--In den Krallen des Bosen), 1977
• Koyaanisqatsi (also known as Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance), New Yorker, 1982
• Breathless, Orion, 1983
• Four American Composers, Trans Atlantic Films, 1983
• Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (also known as Mishima), Warner Bros., 1984
• High Wire, 1984
• A Composer's Notes: Philip Glass and the Making of an Opera (Akhnaten), Michael Blackwell Productions, 1985
• Dead End Kids (also known as Dead End Kids: A Story of NuclearPower), Ikon-Mabou Mines, 1986
• Dialogue (also known as Dialog), 1986
• The Kitchen Presents Two Moon July (also known as Two Moon July), 1986
• Hamburger Hill, Paramount, 1987
• Powaqqatsi (also known as Powwaqatsi: Life in Transformation), Cannon, 1988
• The Thin Blue Line (documentary), J. G. Films, 1988
• La chiesa (also known as Cathedral of Demons, The Church, Demon Cathedral, Demons 3, and In the Land of the Demons), Cecchi Gori, 1988
• Christo in Paris (documentary), 1990
• Anima Mundi (documentary short film; also known as The Soul ofthe World), 1991
• Mindwalk, 1991
• Merci, la vie (also known as Thank You, Life and Thanksfor Life), Orly Films/Cine Valse, 1991
• Closet Land, 1991
• Candyman (also known as Clive Barker's Candyman), TriStar,1992
• A Brief History of Time (documentary), Channel 4 Films, 1992
• Compassion in Exile: The Life of the 14th Dalai Lama (documentary), 1992
• Planetens spejle (also known as Mirror of the Planet), 1992
• Niki de Saint Phalle: Wer ist das Monster-du oder ich? (documentary; also known as Figuren der Freude, Niki de Saint Phalle: Who Is the Monster, You or Me?, and Niki de Saint Phalle), 1994
• Jenipapo (also known as The Interview), Boku Films/Ravina Films, 1994
• Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (also known as Candyman II: Farewell to the Flesh), Gramercy, 1995
• (Uncredited; new version) La belle et la bete (also known as Beauty and the Beast), originally released in 1946, new release, 1995
• Evidence, 1995
• The Secret Agent (also known as Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1996
• Ballad of the Skeletons (short film), 1996
• Absence Stronger than Presence (documentary short film), 1996
• Perfect Moment (documentary), 1996
• Depart immediat, 1996
• Bent, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1997
• Kundun, Buena Vista, 1997
• Si je t'aime ... prends garde a toi, Rezo Films, 1998
• Noyaqqatsi (documentary), 1999
• The Source (documentary), Calliope Films, 1999
• The Eden Myth, Tuesday Night Movies, 1999
• (New score) Dracula, 1913, new release, 1999
• Sin ceder (documentary short film), 1999
• Armonie dell'Estasi (documentary short film), 2000
• The Man in the Bath, 2001
• Diaspora (short film), 2001
• (Uncredited) The Confession (short film), 2001
• Passage (short film), 2002
• Naqoyqatsi, Miramax, 2002
• The Baronnes and the Pig, 2002
• C'est le bouquet! (also known as Special Delivery), 2002
• The Hours, Paramount, 2002
• The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara(documentary; also known as The Fog of War), Sony Pictures Classics,2003
• Secret Window, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2004
• Taking Lives, Warner Bros., 2004
• Undertow, United Artists, 2004
• Partition, 2004
• Also composed a new score for Cenere (also known as Ashes),Ambrosio Film.
• Film Additional Music
• The Truman Show, Paramount, 1998
• Film Songs
• La chiesa (also known as Cathedral of Demons, The Church, Demon Cathedral, Demons 3, and In the Land of the Demons), Cecchi Gori, 1988
• Exposure, 1991
• Screenplays
• Noyaqqatsi (documentary), 1999
• Television Scores
• Series
• The Arctic, 1992
• Miniseries
• Music with Roots in the Aether: Opera for Television by Robert Ashley, 1974
• Specials
• Satyagraha, 1983
• High Wire, PBS, 1985
• "Einstein on the Beach: The Changing Image of Opera," Great Performances, PBS, 1986
• "The Thin Blue Line," American Playhouse, PBS, 1988
• Timeless Voices: The Gyuto Monks, The Discovery Channel, 1989
• Peter Jennings Reporting: Guns, ABC, 1990
• A Walk through Prospero's Library, 1991
• Twyla Tharp: Oppositions, PBS, 1996
• Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress, PBS, 1998
• Legacy of a Kidnapping: Lindbergh and the Triumph of the Tabloids,PBS, 2001
• Pandemic: Facing AIDS, HBO, 2003
• Television Songs
• Specials
• "The Cask of Amontillado," Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul, PBS, 1995
• Television Scores
• Episodic
• "ConFusion in a Jar," Nova, PBS, 1990
• Musical Pieces
• String Quartet, 1966
• Music in the Shape of a Square (for two flutes), 1967
• In Again Out Again (for two pianos), 1967
• One Plus One (for amplified tabletop), 1967
• The Olympian (for chorus and orchestra; used at the opening of the1984 Olympics), Los Angeles, 1984
• (With Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Paul Simon, and Suzanne Vega) Songs from Liquid Days, 1985
• Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, 1987
• Canyon (for orchestra), 1988
• Hydrogen Jukebox (based on the poetry of Allen Ginsberg), 1990
• Heroes Symphony (based on the David Bowie album Heroes), c.1997
• White Raven (O Corvo Bianco), 1998
• Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 2000
• Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, 2001
• Voices for Organ, Didgeridoo and Narrator, 2001
• Symphony No. 6 Plutonain Ode, 2002
• Also composed music for the 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, GA.
• Musical Pieces for the Philip Glass Ensemble
• Music in Contrary Motion, 1969
• Music in Fifths, 1969
• Music in Similar Motion, 1969
• Music in Eight Parts, 1969
• Music with Changing Parts, 1970
• Music in Twelve Parts, 1971-1974
• (With Lucinda Childs and Sol LeWitt) Dance (multimedia piece), 1979
• Nonfiction
• Music by Philip Glass, edited and supplemented by Robert T. Jones,Harper and Row, 1987

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

• Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Schirmer, 2001
• Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale Research, 1998
• Mertens, W., American Minimal Music: LaMonte Young, Terry Riley, SteveReich, Philip Glass, Broude, 1983
• Music by Philip Glass, Da Capo Press, 1995
• Newsmakers, Gale, 1991

• American Theatre, October, 2003, p. 103
• Billboard, July 10, 1999, p. 43; July 21, 2001, p. 13; December 7,2002, p. 14
• The Economist, August 18, 2001
• Insight on the News, December 17, 2001, p. 33
• Interview, December, 1994, p. 66
• New Republic, April 10, 2000, p. 29
• New Statesman, February 14, 1997, p. 40; May 29, 1998, pp. 45-46
• Sarasota Magazine, December, 1995, pp. 56-58
• Smithsonian, November, 2003, p. 100