In the Penal Colony

Music: Philip Glass

Libretto: Rudolph Wurlitzer based on the short story by Franz Kafka

Music Theatre Wales presents the UK premiere of Philip Glass's searing study of human cruelty and intolerance.

Described by the composer as a 'pocket' opera, In the Penal Colony is written for just two singers, an actor and a string quintet. Performed with the audience on three sides, close up and not just in front, it packs a powerful punch, displaying Glass's unfailing ability to challenge theatrical and musical norms.

Set in a claustrophobic prison disconnected from the modern world the opera plunges us into a nightmare scenario: an obsessive Officer about to put a prisoner through a gruesome process of execution and a horrified visitor asked to witness the event. Will he have the conscience to intervene? Would you?

Philip Glass is one of the most popular and distinctive of all living composers. His compulsive and beautifully haunting music is instantly recognisable. From symphonies and operas to award-winning film scores such as The Truman Show, The Hours and Notes on a Scandal, he simultaneously breaks boundaries and captivates audiences.

Running Time: 80 minutes (with no interval)