October 13, 2008
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmHow We All Learned to Make The Bomb
Doctor Atomic, a new opera about to open at the Met, brings nuclear proliferation, "rogue states" and the terrorists' dream of a dirty bomb back to the first "ground zero"
By Peter Brown
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
John Adams'sDoctor Atomic, an opera in two acts about the birth of the atom bomb, will make its New York City debut at the Metropolitan Opera tonight (October 13). Adams is one of our finest classical composers, well-known for his earlier operatic works on contemporary affairs, Nixon in China and The Death of Klinghoffer. The libretto by his longtime collaborator, Peter Sellars, is drawn from the published statements by the principal characters, and from the literature they loved.
"The atomic bomb is the all-time American symbol of our darkest mythology—power, technology, science and, of course, the responsibility of having this ability to destroy the planet," Adams says. "These are Wagnerian topics, and they are ideally suited to operatic expression."
The Met will offer nine performances of Doctor Atomic. Several events relevant to the history of the Manhattan Project and the development of the atomic bomb will take place in and around New York. Details are here.
Slide Show: Images from the Opera
Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism
Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.
When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber