Philip Glass’s landmark opera, whose Sanskrit title translates as “truth force,” explores Mahatma Gandhi’s formative years in South Africa. The visually extravagant production, starring Richard Croft, is directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch.

Satyagraha features minimal subtitles. Composer Philip Glass used as his text the ancient Sanskrit scripture the Bhagavad Gita, which does not relate to the actual action taking place on stage. Glass did not wish the text to be understood—just to be heard—and to allow the actions on stage to speak for themselves.

Conductor: Dante Anzolini; Production: Phelim McDermott; Rachelle Durkin, Richard Croft, Kim Josephson, Alfred Walker

Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

(Original transmission: Saturday, November 19, 2011)

For more information, please visit the MET website at

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/liveinhd/summer12.aspx?icamp=hdsumfest&iloc=hptab