{"id":1404,"date":"2008-11-08T15:44:55","date_gmt":"2008-11-08T23:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/?p=1404"},"modified":"2008-11-08T15:54:25","modified_gmt":"2008-11-08T23:54:25","slug":"met-in-hd-doctor-atomic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/11\/08\/met-in-hd-doctor-atomic\/","title":{"rendered":"MET in HD: Doctor Atomic"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

On a dismal, rainy Saturday, Heather and I dragged ourselves out of our warm, cozy bed to head over to the Cedar Hills cinemas to see the live high-definition broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of John Adams’ latest opera, Doctor Atomic<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The theater was almost full when we arrived right at the scheduled start time, but we were able to find good seats and settle in with our coffees and cookies.\u00c2\u00a0 I wasn’t prepared for what was awaiting us.<\/p>\n

A lot of the reviews of the premiere and subsequent productions of Atomic have been mixed.\u00c2\u00a0 Much has been made of the libretto (criticized for its mixture of the banal and the profound) and the nature of the production in terms of staging, action, and plot.\u00c2\u00a0 In addition, the MET production was not directed by Peter Sellars, but by Penny Woolcock.<\/p>\n

This didn’t make much of a difference to me, as I was coming into this operatic experience knowing just the basic plot and some background information from John Adams’ recently published memoir Hallelujah Junction<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 I thoroughly enjoyed this opera – much more than I thought I would, even as a fan of Adam’s music.\u00c2\u00a0 In particular, the singing and acting of Gerald Finley (as J. Robert Oppenheimer) and Sasha Cooke (as Kitty Oppenheimer) was nothing short of stunning.\u00c2\u00a0 Oppenheimer’s closing aria to Act I, set to a poem by John Donne (his Holy Sonnet XIV<\/em>) was sung with such emotion, and set so exquisitely by Adams, that it took my breath away:<\/p>\n

Batter my heart, three person’d God; for, you
\nAs yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
\nThat I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee, and bend
\nYour force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
\nI, like an usurpt towne, to’another due,
\nLabour to’admit you, but Oh, to no end,
\nReason yhour viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
\nBut is captiv’d, and proves weake or untrue.
\nYet dearely’I love you, and would be loved faine,
\nBut am betroth’d unto your enemie:
\nDivorce mee, untie, or breake that knot againe;
\nTake mee to you, imprison mee, for I
\nExcept you’enthrall mee, never shall be free,
\nNor ever chast, except you ravish mee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I found it reminiscent in tone (and in its falling melodic figures) of Dido’s Lament<\/em> from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And the Act II, scene iii chorus, which depicts a vision of Vishnu in the skies (from the Bhagavad Gita<\/em>) was incredibly powerful, both from the orchestra and the chorus (performing very complex music from memory and with excellent diction and precision):<\/p>\n

At the sight of this, your Shape stupendous,
\nFull of mouths and eyes, feet, thighs and bellies,
\nTerrible with fangs, O master,
\nAll the worlds are fear-struck, even just as I am.
\nWhen I see you, Vishnu, omnipresent,
\nShouldering the sky, in hues of rainbow,
\nWith your mouths agape and flame-eyes staring\u00e2\u20ac\u201d
\nAll my peace is gone; my heart is troubled.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And then Oppenheimer’s final, heart-rending soliloquy:<\/p>\n

To what benevolent demon
\ndo I owe the joy of being thus surrounded
\nwith mystery,
\nwith silence,
\nwith peace
\nand with perfumes?<\/p>\n

O beatitude!
\nThat which we generally call life,
\neven when it is fullest and happiest,
\nhas nothing in common<\/p>\n

with that supreme life
\nwith which I am now acquainted
\nand which I am tasting
\nminute by minute,
\nsecond by second!<\/p>\n

No! there are no more minutes,
\nthere are no more seconds!
\nTime has disappeared;
\nit is Eternity that reigns now!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Throughout the production, the MET orchestra played like the great opera orchestra it is.\u00c2\u00a0 It is a grueling score to play, I’d wager, and it features some extended passages for the woodwinds in the very highest reaches of their useful range, especially in the oboe and bassoon, and were played with an easy virtuosity that repeatedly left my jaw hanging open.<\/p>\n

The final half hour of the opera left us nearly breathless (from actually holding our breath) as the countdown to “the shot” nears.\u00c2\u00a0 The final denouement was perfect, and devastating.\u00c2\u00a0 What a great experience!<\/p>\n

If you want to find out more about this extraordinary opera, including audio and video excerpts and a complete libretto for download, you can find it here:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.metoperafamily.org\/metopera\/news\/dr_atomic\/index.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a dismal, rainy Saturday, Heather and I dragged ourselves out of our warm, cozy bed to head over to the Cedar Hills cinemas to see the live high-definition broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of John Adams’ latest opera, Doctor Atomic. The theater was almost full when we arrived right at the scheduled start […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":303,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[148,183,143,115,269,283,13],"tags":[416],"class_list":["post-1404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-appreciations","category-contemporary","category-miscellaneous","category-music","category-new-music","category-opera-music","category-video","tag-john-adams"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8kC-mE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1414,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/11\/09\/doctor-atomic-highlight-batter-my-heart\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":0},"title":"doctor atomic highlight: batter my heart","author":"Charles Noble","date":"November 9, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Thanks to Fugue State, I have found video from the Netherlands Opera production (Peter Sellars' version) of the final aria from the first act of Doctor Atomic, \"Batter My Heart\" - it will give you an idea of what I think was the highlight of the opera. You'll have a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14735,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2018\/06\/01\/a-look-back-a-look-forward\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":1},"title":"a look back, a look forward","author":"Charles Noble","date":"June 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"This May marked the end of my 22nd season as a member of the Oregon Symphony. It's not an auspicious number - it doesn't end with a zero or a five, and it's not 30 years or more. But it's my number, and you make do with what you've got.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "the orchestra world"","block_context":{"text":"the orchestra world","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/the-orchestra-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/oregon-symphony-portrait_1900x600-e1527897891639.jpg?fit=1000%2C316&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/oregon-symphony-portrait_1900x600-e1527897891639.jpg?fit=1000%2C316&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/oregon-symphony-portrait_1900x600-e1527897891639.jpg?fit=1000%2C316&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/oregon-symphony-portrait_1900x600-e1527897891639.jpg?fit=1000%2C316&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":770,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/02\/12\/real-new-music\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":2},"title":"real “new” music","author":"Charles Noble","date":"February 12, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been pondering Ron Blessinger's thoughts on the 2008-2009 season programming at the OSO, and the more I think about it, the more I wish there were not only works by living composers, but that there were works which have received their first performances at least since 1995. Why 1995?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "contemporary"","block_context":{"text":"contemporary","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/contemporary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3683,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2009\/12\/28\/my-2009-discoveries\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":3},"title":"my 2009 discoveries","author":"Charles Noble","date":"December 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I came across quite a few cool people and things in 2009, and as the end of the year approaches I'd like to share a few of them with you.\u00a0 Enjoy! 1. Quatour Ebene - this urbane and sophisticated young French string quartet gave an amazing performance in Portland last\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "appreciation"","block_context":{"text":"appreciation","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/appreciations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1319,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/10\/21\/john-adams-biography\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":4},"title":"john adams biography","author":"Charles Noble","date":"October 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm very much looking forward to reading Halleluja Junction, the autobiography of leading American composer John Adams.\u00c2\u00a0 If you're reading it, or have already read it - let me know your thoughts! Hallelujah Junction: Composing an American Life","rel":"","context":"In "composition"","block_context":{"text":"composition","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/composition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/ir?t=dailyobservat-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0374281157","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":704,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2008\/01\/26\/adams-chamber-symphony\/","url_meta":{"origin":1404,"position":5},"title":"adams chamber symphony","author":"Charles Noble","date":"January 26, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Composer John Adams Photo credit: Deborah O'Grady. I read a few months ago that John Adams had written a sequel to his Chamber Symphony (1992) called Son of Chamber Symphony (2007). The monster movie allusions seem to be proving correct if you listen to all the chatter flying around the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "appreciation"","block_context":{"text":"appreciation","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/appreciations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ja-portrait-1-lw.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/01\/ja-portrait-1-lw.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/303"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}