Opera essentially equates to drama overload.
J. Robert Oppenheimer certainly applies as fodder for an opera.
The renowned nuclear physicist is the subject of “Doctor Atomic,” an opera scheduled to air via satellite from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on Nov. 8 and then again on Nov. 19 at Cinemark’s Tinseltown in Bristol, Va.
“It is a contemporary opera,” said Charlie Siedenburg, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Opera. “It’s sung in English, whereas most operas are sung in a foreign language.”
English or not, “Doctor Atomic” drips with relevancy and nail-biting drama.
Oppenheimer led a team of scientists in the United States beginning in about 1943.
As Adolf Hitler’s Germany was developing nuclear technologies, Oppenheimer and company raced to beat them. The world hung in the balance.
“He opened up the atomic age,” said Bill Campbell, a lifelong devotee of the opera. “But he wondered what the after-effects would be.”
Perhaps because of effects rendered during the nuclear era, folks at the Met hope that “Doctor Atomic” will appeal to an interested and younger audience.
“The first visual you see [in the performance] is the periodic table,” Siedenburg said. “Anybody who has been through junior high school will remember that.”
And perhaps younger folks will remember “Doctor Atomic,” and interest in the opera will spike.
“The Met needs to build a younger audience,” Campbell said.
IF YOU GO
What: “Doctor Atomic”
When: Nov. 8, 1 p.m., and Nov. 19, 7 p.m.
Where: Cinemark Tinseltown, Bristol, Va.
Admission: $14-$22
Info: (276) 669-0588
Web: www.metopera.com
TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.
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