Atomic music -- noises from the wings

Word has from spies at rehearsals that John Adams' Dr. Atomic, premiering next month at the SF Opera, is a very musical score. The character of Oppenheimer (which will be sung by Gerald Finley) in particular has a beautiful lament set as a chaccone, not unlike Dido's "When I am laid in earth." This will also mark the Peter Sellars' return to the SF Opera; he's been absent from the War Memorial Opera House since the 1992 premiere of Adams' Death of Klinghoffer.

On a lighter side (or heavier, depending on how you look at it) rumor has it that Madame Borodina gained several pounds since she was first measured for her costumes in SFO's L'Italiana. Apparently, when she came in for the actual fitting she became very distressed when she realized the costumes didn't fit the way the were supposed to. Hopefully, SFO will have something figured out by opening night.


© 2005 C. Chang

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