Renowned theatre director Robert Wilson has passed away.
Robert Wilson, an influential figure in the world of theater and opera, has passed away at the age of 83. The news was confirmed by Chris Green, President of the Robert Wilson Arts Foundation, to the German Press Agency.
Wilson's death occurred in the early hours of Thursday in Water Mill, New York, his home and work space. A memorial service will be held at the Watermill Center to honour his life and contributions to the arts.
Throughout his six-decade career, Wilson directed over 100 productions, pushing the boundaries of theater and opera with his distinctive, avant-garde style. His work was marked by visual tableaux, precise lighting, minimal sets, slow deliberate pacing, and a fusion of music, image, and movement as a unified artwork.
Some of Wilson's most notable works include the groundbreaking four-and-a-half-hour opera "Einstein on the Beach," created in collaboration with composer Philip Glass and choreographer Lucinda Childs. This work abandoned traditional narrative for hypnotic, abstract tableaus and recurring motifs centered around the image of Albert Einstein. It is considered a landmark of experimental performance and radically reshaped opera as a total art form.
Another significant work is "The CIVIL warS: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down," an ambitious but only partially completed 12-hour opera commissioned for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Although funding issues prevented it from being fully realized, the work remains one of Wilson’s most ambitious projects.
Early in his career, Wilson established himself as a key figure in avant-garde theater with works such as "The King of Spain," "Deafman Glance," and "A Letter for Queen Victoria." Particularly, "Deafman Glance" was notable for its dialogue-free performance style.
The Robert Wilson Arts Foundation, which confirmed Wilson's death, has established a fund to support emerging artists in Wilson's name. The Watermill Center, founded by Wilson, will continue to operate as a hub for artistic innovation in his memory.
Wilson received numerous awards for his contributions to theater and opera, including the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. His legacy includes numerous productions of classical and contemporary plays and operas worldwide, marked by his signature hieratic slowness and striking use of light and shadow.
The date for the memorial service has not yet been announced.
[1] The New York Times: Robert Wilson, Visionary Theater and Opera Director, Dies at 83
[2] The Guardian: Robert Wilson, groundbreaking experimental theatre director, dies at 83
[3] The Washington Post: Robert Wilson, groundbreaking theater and opera director, dies at 83
Entertainment figures and celebrities from the world of theater and opera are expressing their condolences after the passing of acclaimed director Robert Wilson. Wilson's distinctive, avant-garde style and contributions to the arts, recognized by various awards such as the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement, left an indelible mark on the theater and opera landscape.
