Premiere of John Adams’ opera “Doctor Atom” at the Novaya Opera

“This is the ‘Death of the Gods’ of our generation, with our speed, with our moments of tension, with our nervous energy. But nothing is a metaphor, everything is a reality” – this is how John Adams’ opera “Doctor Atom” is “presented” on the site of the New Opera.

It was this premiere that opened the Epiphany Festival 2023 in one of the most beautiful theaters in Moscow. Musical director and conductor – Fedor Lednev. Directed by Alexey Veiro. Choirmaster – Yulia Senyukova. Lighting designer – Maya Shavdatuashvili. The main part is baritone Dmitry Zuev. Other performers: Konstantin Fedotov, Dmitry Bobrov, Ekaterina Mirzoyants, Alexandra Saulskaya-Shulyatieva, Andrey Borisenko, Dmitry Orlov, Anton Bochkarev and artists of the choir.

The unique voices of the artists, incredible scenery, originality of the plot, amazing music and the exclusivity of the premiere – all this helps viewers and listeners to experience a dramatic story about eternal values, good and evil, the triumph of justice and honor. And most importantly, to think about what we are doing with the world and with each other.

“Doctor Atom” by John Adams is more than five hundred pages of a score (the conductor solemnly raised them above his head after the end of the opera), based on real events. 1945 New Mexico test site tests the world’s first atomic bomb.

“A scientific discovery that has turned in such a way that it can harm people. And here is the dilemma: scientists work to make the world a better place, but in the end something is born that can destroy the world. This is probably about it, ”conductor Fyodor Lednev told reporters before the premiere.

The libretto is based on wartime letters, declassified government documents, memoirs, as well as ancient Indian texts, the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, John Donne. And all this through the contradictory and rather harsh musical language of the opera, and even in English.

The part of the protagonist (theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer) is played by Dmitry Zuev, who ideally “rehashes” the spoken text literally in a crazy rhythm. Two beauties, Ekaterina and Alexandra, complement each other, and the male singers Fedotov and Bobrov, on the contrary, seem to compete on stage. All parts of the premiere opera are one solid nocturne, but far from being lyrical, but “atomic”.

The sound of the orchestra is incredibly talented, the electronic technologies are super innovative, the sound palette with sirens and rockets – all this “sinks” in the eerie oppressive silence that ends the opera.

Many minutes of applause from the crowded hall, flowers and tears from fans, discussion of the premiere in the foyer and on the way to the metro, and the question that worries literally everyone: “Why SUCH an atom?”

Vladimir Sabadash.

Photo by Anna Duhon