Acclaimed American stage and opera director Robert Wilson, known for transforming modern theater, passed away on Thursday at the age of 83, according to a statement from his management.
“Robert Wilson died peacefully today in Water Mill, New York, at the age of 83, following a brief but severe illness,” the statement posted on his official website read. It also noted that Wilson remained active in his work until the very end.
Wilson’s groundbreaking productions, both original works and reinterpretations of classic repertoire, captivated audiences worldwide. However, he found particular acclaim in France, a country he considered his artistic home.
In a 2021 interview with AFP, Wilson said, “It was the French who gave me a home.”
His global breakthrough came in 1976 with Einstein on the Beach, a nearly five-hour opera created in collaboration with composer Philip Glass. The work defied traditional opera norms, replacing a linear plot with abstract themes inspired by Albert Einstein’s life and concepts, particularly the transformative idea of space-time—expressed through movement and choreography rather than narrative.
Wilson became known for his minimalist staging, use of body movement influenced by Asian performance traditions, and striking, dreamlike lighting designs.
