Atlas (opera)

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. 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." 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.

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