[1] The work was commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, and first performed there on October 12, 1992 (that date being the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering the Americas).

Glass did not want to create a biographical opera about Columbus, especially in a year when there were countless films, documentaries and other events doing the same job.

He sings that despite man's inadequate mind, body and technology, the will to explore and follow one's vision "towards holes on the horizon" has always existed.

Outside, she is met by a group of natives that dance a rite of spring and imagine the Commander to be a fantastic god descended from the sky.

Spain, 1492 Columbus is at the court of Queen Isabella bidding them farewell as he prepares to set sail for the Indies.

A mission to travel to the planet is begun and we see a terrific celebration as the ship prepares for launch, with dignitaries, politicians, dancers, musicians and a large crowd of well-wishers.

The libretto is published as part of Trying to Find Chinatown: The Selected Plays of David Henry Hwang by Theatre Communications Group.

In July 2006, a long-awaited complete recording of the opera became available on Glass' Orange Mountain Music label, based on the staging by the Landestheater Linz (Austria) and conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.