The Aichi Expo, with its theme on "Nature's Wisdom" and its pavilions packed with technological wonders, obviously sees no irony in its situation. This contradiction may be highlighted, however, when composer Philip Glass brings his ensemble to perform the music of "Koyaanisqatsi." Directed by Godfrey Reggio, and set to the pulsing, pensive sounds of Glass, the film silently and eloquently documents the rape of the earth by human "progress."

Glass and his ensemble will accompany the films with live versions of his scores to all three films in the "Qatsi" trilogy -- "Koyaanisqatsi," "Powaqqatsi" and "Naqoyqatsi." Originally conceived as visual symphonies, merging the nonverbal power of film and music, they remain singular works even today. They also established Glass -- a creator of minimalist music who rose to fame in the 1970s along with his contemporary Steve Reich -- as a serious composer for movies. Since then he's worked on all sorts of projects, from the Clint Eastwood's Vietnam-war movie "Hamburger Hill" to the reflective Vietnam-era documentary "The Fog of War," with films such as "The Hours" and "Kundun" in between.

Also known for his innovative operas ("Einstein on the Beach"), Glass composed an opera set to the film "La Belle et la be^te," Jean Cocteau's surrealistic 1947 movie of the fable, which Glass' ensemble will perform in Tokyo following his performances in Aichi, with a live score for 1937's "Dracula" as well. Speaking by phone from Milan, Glass discussed the "Qatsi" series and his problems with film music.