Perfect Lives is a 1983 television opera in seven episodes (or acts) by American contemporary composer Robert Ashley, directed by John Sanborn.

The first and last episodes, "The Park" and "The Backyard", were originally presented on Ashley's 1978 album Private Parts, albeit in a more stripped down form and with accompanying tabla playing.

According to Ashley via Gann, its structure is based on the Bardo Thodol (the Tibetan Book of the Dead),[5] although he intended to model it on Midwestern evangelism as well.

Raoul de Noget, an over-the-hill lounge singer of unknown age, and his companion Buddy, nicknamed "The World's Greatest Piano Player", have arrived in a small town in the American Midwest.

A recurring song plays on the radio, and strange events happen in The Bank: Buddy's dogs have begun loudly arguing in Spanish (sounding "like a noise from Hades"), and annoyed at this, Isolde gives herself the excuse to get a bucket of water and splash it over the dogs, but misses and splashes the bank manager instead, who goes into the safe to change his clothes.

His wife, Baby, enjoys Buddy's video tapes, named The Lessons, and wishes to flawlessly perform boogie-woogie music like he does.

As Buddy's piano playing (which has been consistent throughout Perfect Lives) continues to become more dynamic in a series of Sermons, "R" discusses his ideas of The Seed, The Root and The Drone.

However, the JP is entranced by Gwyn's behavior, and mentally he is transported to other wedding ceremonies in the past, including one with a bride-to-be named Lucille who spoke in tongues, and eventually he remembers various famous marriages (including one between a celebrity named "Snowcrash") with time and place deeply confused, as the narration of "R" builds onto the act's passionate evangelical tone.

Perfect Lives has frequently been lauded as one of Ashley's greatest works, has garnered a cult following, and musicians like Matmos, Varispeed, and Trystero have performed it in its entirety.

"[2] Experimental artist Alex Waterman has spearheaded a new Spanish-language version of Perfect Lives entitled Vidas Perfectas, performing the piece around the world and producing a new video realization as well.