The Public (opera)

The Public is a one-act opera composed by Philip Glass, with a libretto by David Henry Hwang. It was commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and premiered there on June 22, 2017.

The opera is a response to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the subsequent protests. It explores themes of racial injustice, police brutality, and the role of art in social change. The story centers around the rehearsals for a play inspired by the events in Ferguson, and the interactions between the diverse group of actors and their director as they grapple with the weight and complexity of the subject matter. The opera uses a play-within-a-play structure to examine the real-world issues through the lens of theatrical representation.

The Public is scored for a chamber orchestra and a cast of singers that includes soloists and a chorus. The music is characteristic of Glass's minimalist style, with repetitive patterns and harmonic progressions that create a hypnotic and emotionally charged atmosphere. The libretto incorporates both spoken dialogue and sung passages, drawing inspiration from news reports, interviews, and the playwright's own observations.