Waiting for the Barbarians

About

Waiting for the Barbarians is a two-act opera by American minimalist Philip Glass, with a libretto by Christopher Hampton based on J.M. Coetzee's 1980 novel of the same name. It premiered on 10 September 2005 at Theater Erfurt, commissioned by that venue, and was rarely staged in the two decades that followed. The opera follows a colonial magistrate whose loyalty to the system fractures when an occupying force commits atrocities against the so-called barbarians - an allegory about power, fear and moral responsibility.

135′

Playing time (two acts)

First revival after the world premiere in 2005

Performance venues in the Netherlands (tour 2026)

What's new

2026-09
The Dutch Traveling Opera brings Waiting for the Barbarians to its premiere on September 26, 2026 in Groningen - the first complete revival of the opera since the world premiere in 2005.
2026-09
The production is a co-production of the Dutch Traveling Opera, dance company Club Guy & Roni and the North Netherlands Orchestra, under the musical direction of Alice Farnham and direction by Guy Weizman.
2026-09
The tour through the Netherlands serves as the opening event for the international celebration 'Glass at 90', on the occasion of Philip Glass's ninetieth birthday in January 2027.
2026-08
The direction and dance rehearsals for the production began in August 2026 in Enschede and Groningen.
2026-05
Philip Glass announced in May 2026 an extensive program for his ninetieth birthday, with Waiting for the Barbarians as one of two rare works receiving a new production.