Robert Wilson, born in Waco, Texas was recognized in the 1960s as one of the leading figures of Manhattan’s avant-garde. In 1976, his production of Einstein on the Beach, set to the music of Philip Glass, would turn the conventional perceptions of opera upside down. Robert Wilson has produced original works and works from the traditional repertoire all over the world. His stage work incorporates a wide variety of artistic media (dance, movement, lights, sculpture, music, texts). A faithful collaborator at the Paris Opera since 1984, he was the mastermind behind the inaugural gala performance at the Opéra Bastille, La nuit avant le jour, on July 13, 1989. His productions of Die Zauberflöte and Madama Butterfly, in particular, have marked the House's history and his legendary production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande has been regularly reprogrammed by the Paris Opera ever since it was first performed in 1997. Robert Wilson's work is also firmly anchored in the fine arts. His sketches, paintings and sculptures have been exhibited all over the world. He is the founder and the artistic director of the Watermill Center, a multidisciplinary experimental art laboratory dedicated to collective creation.