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Music / opera

Doctor Atomic : opera in two acts

John Adams (f. 1947)

Description

Summary: In this first recording of John Adams's 2005 opera, the composer leads the BBC Singers and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, with a cast led by Gerald Finley, who originated the role of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Longtime Adams collaborator Peter Sellars created the libretto, drawing from original sources to explore the final hours leading up to the first atomic bomb explosion at the Alamagordo test site in New Mexico in July 1945.

Reviews (5)

Presto classical

d. 29. June 2018

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James Longstaffe

d. 29. June 2018

"Recording of the week: The authority that [Finley] brings to the part is immediately apparent ... There are many other outstanding contributions, not least from Brindley Sherratt as Oppenheimer's colleague, Edward Teller, and Jennifer Johnston as the Oppenheimers' maid, Pasqualita ... Overall, though, this is Finley's opera, and his impressive achievement makes this a highly compelling first recording for this thought-provoking work".

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BBC music magazine

2018 August

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David Nice

2018 August

"Opera choice: Finley 'owns' the characterisation of J Robert Oppenheimer ... and Julia Bullock's Kitty [is] the most ardent possible. All else is compelling on every level, with superb British support from Brindley Sherratt as doubtful fellow physicist Edward Teller ... Superbly recorded, the BBC Singers and Symphony Orchestra pull total focus under Adams's ever more experienced baton, and the last half hour is stunning ... Batter my heart indeed".

Fono Forum

2018 September

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Bernd Feuchtner

2018 September

"CDs des Monats: Wie bei der Uraufführung 2005 singt Gerald Finley die Titelpartie, und wiederum zeigt er uns die vielen Facetten des Atomphysikers ... Julia Bock singt Oppenheimers Frau Kitty mit schneidender Verzweiflung ... Und auch die übrigen vorzüglichen Sänger fügen sich perfekt in den von John Adams am Pult des BBC Symphony Orchestra erzeugten Supersound ein. Ein Höhepunkt sind die ekstatischen Chöre der BBC Singers ... Ein intelligenter Hörgenuss, der niemanden unberührt lässt".

The gramophone

2018 August

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Pwyll ap Siôn

2018 August

"Editor's choice: Finley is imperious once more as Oppenheimer ... Bullock also produces an excellent, rounded performance as Kitty ... But it is the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers who really stand out here. Razor sharp from beginning to end, the orchestra remain highly responsive to the work's often complex polyrhythmic patterns and pulsations, with tempo and pacing perfectly judged under the composer's own direction".

Opus

2018, nr. 86

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Axel Lindhe

2018, nr. 86

"Som ung var John Adams inspirerad av minimalismen ... Själv kallar han sig en "post style-composer" ... Och man behöver inte lyssna länge på operan "Dr Atomic" från 2005 för att inse att Adams tonspråk är så varierat och uttrycksfullt att det känns ganska meningslöst att placera in musiken i något fack ... Verket behandlar den ångest och ängslan som rådde de sista dagarna på Los Alamos-anläggningen i New Mexico inför testsprängningen av Robert Oppenheimers atombomb i juli 1945 ... BBC Symphony Orchestra och kör under ledning av tonsättaren själv gör det här fantastiska verket full rättvisa och bland alla fina solister lyser Gerald Finleys tenorröst lite extra".