John Adams - Doctor Atomic - Full Baritone Solo.avi

De Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam
Gerald Finley, Baritone

• Category

  Music

[musicalbacon2]

I hate the way this was filmed. It's a song with a man talking to god, yet he's looking directly at me, which takes me out of the moment. It was hard to even concentrate on the music, which was beautiful, because of the ridiculous hand movements.

[trombahonker]

He's not talking to God; it's an inner dialogue, thought, not said, which is why there is so much visual focus. The only time eye contact is lost is when break, blow, burn or knock is spoken.

All of the hand gestures are choreographed (of course, /all/ of the movements are.)

[emtorreador]

In my opinion one of the most beautiful contemporary operas. This aria in particular is amazing!

[trombahonker]

Conversations with God are inner dialogue, directed at one's self.

[gxgfree4rhyme]

When was it performed?

[Adam Hanna]

Will someone please explain to me what is going on here? Is he talking to God? Himself? And what about exactly? User 'Mertsungu' says think about what happens to an atom? I would really appreciate some insight/info! thanks

[mertsungu]

An aria sung by Oppenheimer with text from Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV: Holy text that gives clues of an ''divine'' technology: Think about what happens to a atom so that you can understand.

Batter my heart, three person’d God; For you

As yet but knock, breathe, knock, breathe, knock, breathe Shine, and seek to mend; Batter my heart, three person’d God; That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend Your force, to break, blow, break, blow, break, blow burn and make me new.

[Yara Zeitoun]

Just had Peter Sellars come and give a talk about this in my opera class. It was wonderful. We watched this scene, and we all teared.

And he explained how Oppenheimer had named the atomic bomb the 'Trinity', after this poem, because this poem explains exactly what would happen: Break, blow, burn.

The music John Adams used is reminiscent of Purcell's music for Donne's poetry, which was done when London was going through the same things, the great fire and plague..

So much creative thought!

[Robin Gray]

What a very powerful piece of music, very moving.

[Miles Gaultney]

I could not agree more. It's considered a faux pas in Theatre to "break the 4th wall", and it is unsettling in Opera as well. I don't want to feel part of this. I want to absorb it and watch it. Excellent point.

[mosaicclassics]

Such a simple stage setting, but so effective, given the subject of this aria.

When they make a video-recorded version like this, I wonder if it is done live in front of an audience.

[BeyondtheChaos1]

Erase what I said. This is based on a poem from John Dunne

[dimitrovajunkie]

I love how it's filmed. I think looking directly at the camera makes it seem more personal and one truly gets a sense of how wretched and torn this man must have felt--he seems to be tossing out a challenge directly at his audience, refusing to let us look away from his anguish. It reminds me of Lear raging at the cosmos in the midst of a thunderstorm. So intense, so Shakespearean! It's wonderful to see such great poetry as John Donne's in an opera.

[BeyondtheChaos1]

He is specifically talking to the Christian God. That's why he says 3 person God which is only found in Christianity.