A scene from Einstein on the Beach (Image: Huffington Post)

Einstein on the Beach, the opera which launched the career of acclaimed composer Phillip Glass, is now showing in Melbourne.

Appearing for a limited season only at the Melbourne Arts Centre, Einstein on the Beach “breaks all rules of conventional opera” according to the Arts Centre’s website, and was described as “an experience to cherish for a lifetime” by The New York Times.

Directed at the Melbourne Arts Centre by Robert Wilson, Philip Glass and Lucinda Childs, Einstein on the Beach unfolds as a melodic sequence of poems and song, set to Glass’s atmospheric score. Robert Wilson’s set provides a stunning backdrop for the the act, which takes place over a lengthy four and a half hours without a central hero or story.

A scene from Einstein on the Beach (Image: TNT Magazine)

Kath Herbert for the Herald Sun wrote that “Einstein on the Beach was ahead of its time in 1976 and still pushes the boundaries of contemporary opera and theatre without resorting to the unnecessary digital graphics and enhancements of the 21st century.”

Einstein on the Beach runs at the Melbourne Arts Centre until this Sunday. Tickets for Einstein on the Beach start from $79, and may be booked through the Arts Centre’s website.