By Marvin Cohodas First the title. The Madrigal Opera is described by its composer as a chamber opera with an unspecified story line, allowing different narrative content to be inserted and thus making it potentially a different story each time it is performed. In this respect, it is more like a ballet than an opera. This is not surprising, since it is of the same period in the composer's career as Einstein on the Beach, which could also be described as more like a ballet than an opera. Now the music. The piece is scored for 6 voices with violin and viola. The format is one in which Glass has often worked and continues to do so. The opening and closing pieces, here called "opening" and "closing" as in Glassworks, are bookends to four central pieces, here called Parts I-IV. However, musically parts III and IV combine to create a structure somewhat parallel to parts I and II. The use of strings for accompaniment provide a clue that the music will be passionate. String writing seems to bring out the strongest, even delirious emotions in Glass' composition. Think of the string quartets, the third symphony with the sublime violin solo in the third movement, the obligato of the darkest song from Book of Longing (the heart-rending "Babylon"), or the breathtaking violin concerto number 1. And the Madrigal Opera doesn't disappoint in this regard. Errol Morris is known for saying that Glass "does existential dread better than anybody." I would add a paraphrase, relevant especially to parts 1 and 2 of the Madrigal Opera, that Glass does ecstasy better than anybody.