Dr Atomic by John Adams

Dr Atomic is a classical opera about the first atomic bomb test composed by John Adams. The libretto is particularly interesting having been drawn from an original source material by Peter Sellars. Although originally suggested to portray Oppenheimer as a 20th century Dr Faustus, the characterization is deliberately omitted to end the opera in the final minutes before the detonation of the bomb. The use of postmodernism characteristics of fragmentation is effective in making the opera’s libretto unique and interesting.

In using fragmentation in the libretto, the opera stands out from other modernist and Victorian works of literature. In particular, the opera uses strong fragments of poetry including chorus lines from the Gita. In fact, the use of fragmentation is highly effective in visualizing the sights of the bomb as a scary ordeal. In addition, the opera’s libretto uses fragments of recorded sound in portraying the building of the atomic bomb.

The use of fragmentation in articulating the libretto of Dr Atomic is highly effective in making the opera unique. In fact, the application is consistent with the place of human beings in the nature of things. Human nature dictates that people are dynamic and do not conform to stipulated ideologies. The purpose of life is to therefore explore different analogies to attain certain objectives. The opera is a manifestation of the existence of freedom and human rights.

 

Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?