John Adams conducts John Adams
Synopsis
Like many of John Adamsâ operas, Doctor Atomic is based on recent world historical eventsâhere, the effusive Robert Oppenheimer, âfather of the atomic bomb,â anxiously awaits the bombâs first test in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Adams adapted the work into a symphony, comprising its three main acts. In the second half of the program, Adams conducts his 2015 violin concerto, Scheherazade.2, which restages the tale of the One Thousand and One Nights heroine as a strong woman navigating a patriarchial society, incarnated by the solo violin part. The work was composed specifically for Canadian-American virtuoso Leila Josefowicz and co-commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, who perform it to perfection. The evening then closes out with Tromba Lontana, an orchestral fanfare written to mark the 150th anniversary of Texasâs independence from Mexico in 1836.
Where to watch
Not currently available to stream in United States.
