"Akhnaten" was commissioned by Württembergische Staatstheater, Stuttgart and had its world premiere on March 24, 1984, at the Stuttgart State Theatre, under the German title "Echnaton". Paul Esswood sang the title role, German director Achim Freyer staged the opera in an abstract style with highly ritualistic movements. The American premiere, directed by David Freeman, was on October 12, 1984, at the Houston Grand Opera, where Glass's opera "The Making of the Representative for Planet 8" also premiered. The UK premiere, based on the American production, was on June 17, 1985 by English National Opera at the London Coliseum. This production was revived at the London Coliseum in March 1987.