Glass became a prolific and widely respected composer. Some of his notable compositions include Einstein on the Beach, The Photographer and Koyaanisqatsi. After returning to New York in 1967, Glass struggled financially and worked as a cab driver and plumber while he developed his music. He established the Philip Glass Ensemble in the early ’70s. This group consisted of seven players which included keyboards, woodwinds and amplified vocals and eventually became immensely popular both with fans of rock and the downtown classical scene. Glass’ monumental opera Einstein on the Beach, a collaboration with theatre director Robert Wilson, was staged in 1976 and was his first large-scale triumph, culminating with performances at the Metropolitan Opera House. Three of Philip Glass’ film scores have been nominated for Academy Awards. In an interview, Glass said Franz Schubert-with whom he shares a birthday-is his favorite composer.