Doctor Atomic: New and Old

Alright so here it goes: review of Doctor Atomic.

A little context: I haven't had the opportunity to see many live operas. I've seen Nozze, Lucia, and Zauberflote. I've participated in Carmen, Zauberflote, and Countes d'Hoffman. I've listened to many operas and a variety of vocal works. I'm sympathetic to the difficulty involved with putting on a show, getting the courage to go on stage and sing. I expect a lot out of anyone singing at the Met. I know very little about composition and respect those that write the notes that magically become beautiful music. I am by no means as qualified as many other bloggers to give a critical opinion.

On the other hand, this gives me the advantage of listening and judging from the view-point of a new generation of opera-goers and hearing through ears less influenced by the traditions of the past. These were my thoughts, take them as they are.

The Movie Theater vs Opera House: Undecided, though I was glad to get close-ups of Finley and the bomb; the editing was thoughtful, unobtrusive and added to the dramatic arch of the piece. I liked it...would have preferred to hear live singing though.

The concept: 5/5. I researched the opera extensively before going and was predisposed to like it. I like John Adams and love stories that center around a tormented and tragic soul. This is the perfect subject for a modern opera. Libretto pieced from actual sources: great way of adding the weight of history to your story.

The production: 3/5. It worked but could have been more coherent and more effective. Have a feeling I would prefer the Peter Sellers version but have only seen clips on youtube. The box thingies, meh. I thought they distracted from the action instead of aiding it. Also confined chorus to limited movement; with so much frenzy in the pit, it would have been nice to see a reflection on stage.

The plot line: Act 1: 5/5. Act 2: 3/5. First act, incredible. Perfect setup for an awe-inspiring second act. Which was not to exactly come...it some how fell short. Maybe it was, as Adams admitted, that a stage production simply cannot compete with George Lucas special effects. But I feel like we needed to see more of the character Robert Wilson, played by the dynamic and intriguing Thomas Glenn. Wilson is Oppenheimer's foil, and in order to have as dramatic a second act as the first, would need to explore his character too. Regardless, the dramatic intensity is somehow preserved up to the end. I wish there was a better ending still. In opera, both the drama AND the music must find a resolution. Here, the drama resolves but not the music.

The Singing: 10/5. That's right. 10 out of 5. That's all Finley's AMAZING ability to sing English intelligibly and sing a line. Plus his creamy, brilliant baritone, *sigh* I'm officially a Finley-fan/worshiper. Kudos to the chorus too, difficult music + choreography = challenge.

The Acting: 5/5. Once again, Finley leads the cast. He is a god-send for those who understand the essence of acting and are also opera-lovers. The essence of acting is this: every gesture or movement that an actor makes must have a motivation, a reason for that movement. So many singers have been taught to sing but have not been taught or explored the world of theatre and this bad acting is everywhere in opera, from the smallest to the largest houses. Poi il teatro. Meredith Arwady(Pasqualita) has an incredible voice but it's lost when she gestured awkwardly on stage. It didn't help that she had to stand in one spot while repeating her warnings, but her gestures did not reflect her character or her words. It's like the talking stain commercial, you can't focus on the power of the words and music and singing when the singer is making mindless gestures.

The Music: Wonderful. Shimmering, fluid, powerful, penetrating...there's so much I could say about it but I will simply say that I felt I could here the composer speaking through the orchestra. The same feeling when I listen to Mozart. This is not only music that illustrates and frames the drama and characters, but also, through it's own sheer beauty, becomes a statement about the horrors of war and mankind. We are hearing such music describe such a terrible day and the contrast of the beauty and the tragedy is so stark that we are caught, breathless, in a state of disbelief. How could men threaten to use a weapon that could so utterly destroy a world filled with such beautiful things as this music? Or these singers or this composer?

The Overall: 5/5. Even with the short comings, this opera moved me. The singers/actors were incredible, the story relevant and thought-provoking, the drama gripping. I think Adams is perhaps very close to writing the first 21st century opera masterpiece, one that will be as enduring as the Mozart-DaPonte's. He just needs to tweak his sense of plot; find a well-balanced, smart libretto; and the rest will follow.

Yay Met HD

Going to the Doctor Atomic HD broadcast tomorrow with newbie opera listener Vinay. Hope he likes his 3 hour and 21 minute intro to opera!