Composer Philip Glass will celebrate his 90th birthday by performing around the world in various seasons with music in the form of symphonies, operas, dance, films, and recordings.
This celebration recognizes one of the leading composers of our time ahead of his milestone birthday on January 31, 2027. There will be numerous celebrations worldwide including in the United States, Europe, and more with several major performances being held in New York City.
One of the main celebrations will include the world premiere of “Symphony No. 15: Lincoln,” the latest full length symphony by Philip Glass with baritone and orchestra. The new symphony was written using texts by Abraham Lincoln and will premiere on July 5, 2026, in a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood.
New York performances will be held during this anniversary and audiences will get their chance to experience the highlight of this celebration when “Symphony No. 15: Lincoln” is premiered in Carnegie Hall by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s on January 31, 2027.
During this anniversary season, another landmark that will be celebrated is the 50th anniversary of “Einstein on the Beach,” an experimental opera produced jointly by Glass and Robert Wilson in 1976.
To mark the anniversary, there are performances planned from the Philip Glass Ensemble, international productions, and a new immersive production that is set to debut in 2027.
Other events during the birthday period include revivals of the composer’s operas, symphonic performances of landmark pieces, chamber music concerts, dances, and films of the composer’s acclaimed scores.
Highlights in New York include concerts in Carnegie Hall and Central Park, as well as performances linked to institutions that are closely related to the activities and achievements of Glass.
The celebrations have gone past the theater scene and have included the release of albums from Orange Mountain Music such as Allen Ginsberg One Hundred, which is an EP that celebrates the long standing relationship between Glass and the poet Allen Ginsberg.
Philip Glass was born in Baltimore and studied at the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School. Throughout more than six decades of his career, he emerged as one of the most unique artists of modern classical music having made his mark through a wide range of musical genres like opera, film scores, choreographic pieces, theatrical music, and symphonic music.
Philip Glass 90th Birthday Celebration Performance Dates and Locations
May 20–30, 2026 — Einstein on the Beach — Europe (ICTUS)
May 21–23, 2026 — Meetings Along the Edge — Toronto, Canada
May 23, 2026–January 7, 2027 — La Belle et la Bête — Augsburg, Germany
May 28, 2026 — Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists — Birmingham, UK
June 2–21, 2026 — Koyaanisqatsi — Los Angeles, California
June 5, 2026 — Ifé, Symphony No. 8, excerpts from Akhnaten — Dublin, Ireland
June 6, 2026 — The Light, Interlude from The Voyage, Mishima Concerto — Dublin, Ireland
June 6, 2026 — Akhnaten — Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 9, 2026 — The Hours Suite — New York, New York
June 11–20, 2026 — Tirol Concerto — London, UK
June 20, 2026 — Early Works — Toronto, Canada
June 24–26, 2026 — Etudes, Wichita Vortex Sutra — Los Angeles, California
June 26–28, 2026 — Passacaglia for Solo Piano — Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
July 3, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 2 — Stellenbosch, South Africa
July 5, 2026 — Symphony No. 15 (World Premiere) — Lenox, Massachusetts (Tanglewood)
July 10–11, 2026 — Symphony No. 1 — New York, New York (Carnegie Hall)
July 12, 2026 — Magic Psalm (Etude No. 17) — London, UK
July 22, 2026 — Complete Piano Etudes — Lenox, Massachusetts
July 25–September 12, 2026 — Tao of Glass — London, UK
July 31, 2026 — Symphony No. 15 — Santa Cruz, California
August 12, 2026 — Violin Concerto No. 1 — Chicago, Illinois
September 5–10, 2026 — Lucinda Childs DANCE — Lyon, France
More events and news about the Philip Glass 90th birthday celebration will be revealed during 2026 and 2027.
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