Naqoyqatsi - Life as War (2002)

Philip Glass, Godfrey Reggio: Naqoyqatsi - Life as War (2002)

Classical Music, Opera, Theatre

Film concert featuring the Philip Glass Ensemble - Hungarian premiere

After the success of Koyaanisqatsi, the American director Godfrey Reggio set out on the task of creating the rest of the Qatsi Trilogy. The titles of each of the three films are words borrowed from the language of the Hopi Indians. Although the works involve no plot or speaking, the music by Philip Glass is equal in importance to the visual sequences that it closely tracks. Powaqqatsi (Life in Transformation, 1988) depicts the disappearance of ancient cultures, and Naqoyqatsi (Life as War, 2002) illustrates the alienating effect of modern technologies on society. During the screening of the latter film, the music will be performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble in a new arrangement created by the composer especially for this occasion, with cello soloist Dániel Helecz and the Budafok Dohnanyi Orchestra also taking part.

This new arrangement of the piece was commissioned by the Ravenna Festival, Ireland's National Concert Hall, the Barbican Centre and Müpa Budapest.

Program and cast

Conductor, music director:

Michael Riesman 

Philip Glass Ensemble:

sound: Dan Bora 

saxophone: Peter Hess 

onstage sound: Ryan Kelly 

keyboards: Mick Rossi 

saxophone, flute: Sam Sadigursky 

flute, piccolo: Andrew Sterman 

Guest musician:

keyboards: Feico Deutekom 

Featuring:

cello

Dániel Helecz 

Budafok Dohnanyi Orchestra 

Creators:

music

Philip Glass 

written and directed by

Godfrey Reggio 

Philip Glass Ensemble production manager

Michael Amacio