Forgotten Symphony

I agree (though to a much less vicious degree) with much that ACD writes in his pretty scathing review of John Adams' Dr. Atomic, heard on broadcast from Chicago Lyric Opera.  I saw the European premiere at the Netherlands Opera last summer. 

I'm confused, though, about ACD's third "suggestion" at the end of his review, the one about how he wishes Adams would: "chuck the present libretto altogether into the rubbish bin where it more properly belongs, and rework that glorious music into either an extended tone poem or three-movement dramatic symphony."  I'm confused mostly because ACD commented on Stephen Hicken's post about the premiere of the Dr. Atomic Symphony, premiered nearly a year ago:

'The Doctor Atomic Symphony is based on orchestral music from the opera. Among the music incorporated and reworked into this 30-minute symphony are passages from the overture, Oppenheimer’s Baudelaire soliloquy, the electrical storm music, “Batter my heart”, and the culminating “Countdown” music.'

And ACD shouldn't lose hope.  Adam's A Flowering Tree works much better as dramma per musica, although Peter Sellars still had something to do with the libretto.  Broadcasts are floating around various places and I'm sure both it and Dr. Atomic (symphony and opera) will make it to disc soon. 

Comments

[A.C. Douglas]

Sonofagun. Forgotten symphony is right. Added your above as an update to my _Dr. Atomic_ post.

Many thanks.

ACD

[Marcus]

Not a huge deal - and whoever is telling you that the staging saves Dr. Atomic is mistaken - I found it even more problematic than the libretto....

[Steve Smith]

If I remember correctly, Nonesuch will be issuing a recording of A Flowering Tree in September. No word as yet on either incarnation of Dr. Atomic.