Gaining the whole World, yet forfeiting the Soul

Even Gandhi would cut up rough if he had to sit through Philip Glass's interminable portrayal of his life. ... As a work of art, this piece undeniably pays due homage to a great man. As theatre, it is intermittently stylish; as a sermon, its precepts are unimpeachable. As music, extremely well performed, it is interesting for 10 minutes, pleasant for another 10, then insufferably monotonous for the ensuing three hours-plus. Some will emerge believing they have seen an inspirational affirmation of the human spirit, others a non-violent attempt to bore the oppressor into submission. (Anthony Holden)
http://music.guardian.co.uk/live/story/0,,2057340,00.html

Well, I did. I believed it was inspirational affirmation of the human spirit. I particularly liked the bit where an actor representing Martin Luther King with his back to us, stood before a blue sky of passing clouds and made the gestures of the great orator giving the 'I have a dream' speech. But Improbable's staging added considerable watchability throughout to an opera that is not narrative or dramatic and yet has a powerful story to tell. And delivers it with music that captures the essence of its message.

As a result the opera was a moving, calming experience, yet it transmitted an inner energy, rather like a meditation session - a power that should not be underestimated. (Ben Hogwood)
http://www.musicomh.com/opera/eno-satyagraha_0407.htm

Indeed. Or what about this:

The score of Satyagraha contains all kind of historical echoes, while remaining rooted in the minimalist language Glass had refined over the previous two decades. There are solo arias, duets and ensembles, interspersed with the large-scale choruses that give the work its particular ritualistic feel. Glass uses traditional forms such as the chaconne, and reveals a love of his 19th-century antecedents.

It might seem strange to evoke the names of Rossini, Wagner and Verdi in discussing a work that seems so thoroughly the product of a late 20th-century musical aesthetic. But one part of the textural richness of Satyagraha is the way in which its music takes a perspective on the past, and renews it so imaginatively. (Andrew Clements)http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/story/0,,2034614,00.html