Hydrogen Jukebox is a 1990 chambers opera featuring the music of Philip Glass and the work of beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Its name is taken from his 1955 poem, Howl. The piece was intended to form a portrait of America covering the 1950s through the late 1980s, incorporating Ginsberg’s personal poems which reflected social issues: the anti-war movement, the sexual revolution, drugs, eastern philosophy, environmental issues. The six vocal parts are thought to represent six archetype American characters: a waitress, a policeman, a businessman, a cheerleader, a priest, and a mechanic.
“…beautiful and unforgettable…opera at its most rapturous.”
-SF GATE
“Elkhanah Pulitzer‘s staging elevate Glass’s music and Ginsbug’s poetry into a rewarding night of theater.”
-MUSIC VS. THEATER
