For an opera to succeed, the music not only has to have a stature of its own, but also needs to supply a deeper insight that could not be expressed by a spoken narrative. In other words, it must seem truly necessary. Challenging under any circumstances, this goal for a composer is all the more so when the opera's purpose is to reflect the states of mind of the people who created the first atomic bomb, in the weeks and hours leading up to the 'Trinity' test in the Alamogordo desert. John Adams' opera Doctor Atomic, which was premiered earlier this month, seemed to my ears ultimately to succeed in that goal. The audience in the San Francisco Opera house certainly gave it enthusiastic acclaim. The soloists, chorus, dancers and orchestra, under the strong leadership of director Peter Sellars and conductor Donald Runnacles, did the piece proud. Readers should see it if they get the chance.
展开▼
