The opera Doctor Atomic, which arrives at the Metropolitan Opera this week, attempts to depict the first ever nuclear bomb test conducted by physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. On today's show, the opera's composer John Adams talks about the challenges of creating a bomb blast without resorting to movie-style special effects, and filling characters' mouths with lines from the Bhagavad Gita and poet John Donne. Also: bass-baritone Eric Owens, who plays the role of General Groves in the opera, joins us to talk about his busy career, and about the role of new works in the operatic canon.
John Adams on "Dr. Atomic"
"Dr. Atomic" focuses on the stress experienced by those at Los Alamos while the test of the first atomic bomb was done. Composer John Adams joins us to talk about his controversial work, which is coming to the Met Opera for its New York premiere.
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer ...
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer ...
A Baritone is Da Bomb
Bass-baritone Eric Owens has created two of the more memorable characters in contemporary opera: the title role in Los Angeles Opera's "Grendel" two years ago and the role of General Groves in John Adams' opera "Dr. Atomic" at San Francisco Opera in 2005. He joins us to talk about both.
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"Doctor Atomic" and Modern Opera
In the NY Times recently, Anthony Tommasini wrote about how he supports the idea of modern opera, of contemporary composers trying to extend and even reinvent the opera tradition for modern times and for modern America particularly. He also wrote ...