Once again john adamss doctor atomic, at the lyric opera of chicago, came across as the most complex and inventive of his works. Batter my heart, threepersond god which ends the first act. The story is based on richard rhodes book the making of the atomic bomb, and john adams admits that the title of the opera, doctor atomic, has the ring of a. It premiered at the san francisco opera on october 1, 2005.
The beggars opera 1948 english libretto billy budd 1953 english libretto spanish translation the turn of the screw 1954 english libretto spanish translation. Alice goodmans libretto, drawn from sources as vast and varied as. Oppenheimer had a book of poems by charles baudelaire. Which served as the basis for the libretto of doctor atomic and which did not. Ive listened to and sung opera from mozart to lloydwilliams, but dr atomic was a new low. Its quite a stunning work and increased my anticipation of watching the full opera on this bluray release. An opera treating both contemporary and timeless issues, doctor atomic warns of the fall of the modern world, with love stories and broken hearts woven in. Met opera on demand delivers instant access to more than 500 met performances, including live in hd videos, classic telecasts and radio broadcasts. Its adamss haunting setting of john donnes paradoxical holy sonnet.
The libretto of doctor atomic was created by peter sellars, drawing on original. Oct 24, 2008 first produced in 2005, doctor atomic is an englishlanguage opera about nuclear physicist j. To a degree, doctor atomic brings back the john adams i knew and loved the adams of harmonium and the wounddresser. The composer leads the bbc singers and the bbc symphony orchestra in this recording, which. Robert oppenheimer and the first test of the atomic bomb he and his scientific team had assembled at.
Nov 08, 2008 john adams doctor atomic is a remarkable work and one of the more interesting contemporary operas. Doctor atomic opera in two acts by john adams libretto by peter sellars drawn from original sources world premiere oct 1st, 2005, san francisco opera cast dr. This production is excellent and one of the better met hd productions recently. Amid renewed nuclear concerns, doctor atomic by santa fe. I heard doctor atomic symphony played in manchester by the houston symphony orchestra. Dec 17, 2007 once again john adamss doctor atomic, at the lyric opera of chicago, came across as the most complex and inventive of his works.
The theme for this opera was suggested to adams by pamela. Dec 08, 2008 john adamss opera stars gerald finley as father of the abomb. John adamss doctor atomic is the result of collaboration with a playwrightdirector. Amid renewed nuclear concerns, doctor atomic by santa fe opera is newly topical the opera dramatizes the hours leading up to the first experimental. He discusses the mets production with adams, director penny woolcock, and set designer julian crouch. Feb 26, 2009 doctor atomic has already been seen in amsterdam and chicago, in peter sellarss staging created for the 2005 premiere in san francisco. Gerald finley, right, as dr robert j oppenheimer with brindley sherratt as edward teller in the bbc symphony orchestras concert staging of doctor atomic by john adams. Unfortunately, the libretto turns out to be the greatest flaw in doctor atomic. The second contains four short documentaries about the opera, the cast, john adams, and peter sellars, and a longer, preachier interview with sellars. What to expect from doctor atomic metropolitan opera. Great performances at the met launches its third season on pbs with the metropolitan opera premiere of doctor atomic, john.
I was looking at the ceiling and then i saw the sky. It had its world premiere in san francisco in 2005. The music i heard in the symphony is actually an excellent condensation of some of the key emotional moments of the stage work. The music is perfectly matched with the libretto, and it all works wonderfully. The first dvd contains a cast gallery and an illustrated synopsis. The high definition as you would expect does look great, with clear sound, imaginative camera work and sharp picture quality. The libretto of doctor atomic was created by peter sellars, drawing on original source material, including personal memoirs, recorded interviews, technical manuals of nuclear physics, declassified government documents, and the poetry. Doctor atomic plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips. A new recording conducted by the composer himself has just been released. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Doctor atomic nonesuch records mp3 downloads, free. First produced in 2005, doctor atomic is an englishlanguage opera about nuclear physicist j. Peter sellars libretto borrows texts from poets like charles baudelaire, john donne, and muriel rukeyser. Doctor atomic is an opera by john adams and peter sellars about the first atom bomb test.
The theme for this opera was suggested to adams by pamela rosenberg, general director of the san franciso opera. The epic, tragic, operatic inside story of doctor atomic. Jan 27, 2020 in best tips best tips on making a longdistance relationship work. Read the libretto of the english opera doctor atomic by john coolidge adams on.
Composer john adams and librettistdirector peter sellars recount some of the events leading up to the first test in doctor atomic, commissioned and premiered by the san francisco opera. Doctor atomic, like other new operas, takes on a rather controversial and not necessarily romantic subject. Which is to say, it is not, as i can attest from conversations with the scientists themselves. Doctor atomic is an opera by the contemporary american composer john adams, with libretto by peter sellars. Oct 31, 2008 the concept of a libretto composed of these peoples documents and recorded conversations, combined with poetry that influenced them, seemed like a compelling and innovative way to set this contemporary story. My favorite passage in doctor atomic is an actual aria, a rare phenomenon in contemporary opera. Download the new ipad app to watch on your tv with apple tv via airplay. Doctor atomic, the new opera at the met, is as accurate a documentary about the invention of the atomic bomb as oliver stones film jfk is about the kennedy assassination.
Opera doctor atomic by adams opera national du rhin. Classical music critic lloyd schwartz says this may well be the definitive performance. Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. I came away from the performance feeling that i had. Robert oppenheimer oppie, physicist and director of the manhattan project to develop a nuclear bomb lyric baritone. The metropolitan opera hd live doctor atomic tv episode. Robert oppenheimer and the first test of the atomic bomb he. It is, in turns, dramatic, luxurious, accomplished, moving, characterful, beautiful. Adams has created operas inspired by the drama and moral complexi ties of recent history, such. Apr 26, 2017 adams turned 70 earlier this year, and marked his birthday with this concert staging of doctor atomic, his 2005 operatic docudrama about j robert oppenheimer and the events that culminated in the. Doctor atomic has already been seen in amsterdam and chicago, in peter sellarss staging created for the 2005 premiere in san francisco. Doctor atomic john adams lyric opera of chicago opera. Doctor atomic characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis.
An essay by daisy cho doctor atomic an opera in two acts music by john adams libretto by peter sellers commissioned and premiered by san francisco opera, october 1, 2005. Nobody goes into some kind of relationship hoping its going to be longdistance if you do, wed probably have to talk. Doctor atomic opera in two acts by john adams libretto by peter. Doctor atomic by bbc symphony orchestra, bbc singers, john adams from amazons classical music store. What adams and sellars, along with their artistic and technical collaborators, have achieved is an operatic masterpiece for the early 21st century. Alenier, is a poet and librettist, and she had the good fortune to be there for the big night on saturday. Since brittens death some 30 years ago, the american composer john adams has emerged as the most powerful voice in the creation of opera doctor atomic is a moving and compelling work of moral, as well as musical, grandeur one is left with a sense of the terrible magnificence of atomic fission as well as its unimaginable. Robert oppenheimer oppie, physicist and director of the manhattan project to develop a nuclear bomb lyric baritone edward teller, physicist bass. Nonesuch released the first recording of john adamss 2005 opera, doctor atomic, on june 29, 2018. Some of sellars libretto, though, inspires vivid lyricism from adams. Longtime adams collaborator peter sellars created the libretto for doctor atomic, drawing from original sources. It was premiered at the san francisco opera in 2005. Peter gelb, general manager of the metropolitan opera, moderates a discussion about his decision to stage john adams opera doctor atomic for the first time in new york city.
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