Dr. Atomic – One Non-explosive Opera

Robert Oppenheimer in Dr. Atomic

The Manhattan Project was one of the most secretive projects in the history of the United States. It took place during World War II and its purpose was to create a bomb by splitting atoms apart. This project was a success and created one of the most devastating bombs ever used by mankind, the atomic bomb. John Adam’s Dr. Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera is an opera about the birth of the atomic bomb and the technology, science, power and responsibility of the whole world on the scientists’ shoulders.

I’ve been to operas before, but this one was about as good as a lullaby.  When it started, I thought I just wasn’t getting the plot line, I thought that I just didn’t understand. As it kept going, the scientists working on the Manhattan Project couldn’t decide whether to drop the bomb. I had an urge to jump up and scream at them to drop the bomb and stop singing about it.  Even the end that I expected wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. In the final act the bomb is dropped and all we hear is a loud explosion and people standing bunched up, quietly waiting, hoping that they won’t die.
This opera is about the scientists working on the Manhattan Project, the scientists who created the first atomic bomb. One of the masterminds behind this project was Robert Oppenheimer. These scientists were working on the creation of such a powerful weapon in a race against Hitler, and the most part of this opera focuses on the possible effects of this bomb. Everyone worries whether the bomb will work and the scientists even make bets on how much energy the explosion will release. And if it does work, no one knows whether it might ignite the entire earth’s atmosphere. Act I closes with “This weapon has been created not by the devilish inspiration of some warped genius but by the arduous labor of thousands of normal men and women working for the safety of their country.”
It is a story that I feel could’ve been done much better. The inner struggles of Oppenheimer, his wife, and the other scientists are very predictable. And while it focuses so much on the human element, and on the wait, it is very dry, and the audience gets bored of waiting. Oppenheimer struggles with the possibility of taking innocent lives, Kitty Oppenheimer struggles with being lonely and frustrated, and the rest of the scientists are afraid of the unknown possibilities.
The end is suggested, not shown as we hear the blast of the bomb going off. The final moment, when the bomb finally explodes, is the anti-climax the audience has been waiting for. Unfortunately we don’t get to witness the explosion. The opera ends with a scream and a ghostly silence that is followed by a recording of a female Japanese voice begging for water. A sign of radiation poisoning. The last part stunned me and I tried to imagine myself in their situation. The responsibility of the bomb lay on their shoulders; they are partly responsible for taking the lives of those innocent civilians. Ultimately, it was a great idea for a story, but the story lacked action and required too much wait. Robert Oppenheimer would probably appreciate the careful portrayal of his inner struggles, but us, typical Americans, need more action to fully appreciate the story.