John Adams' opera Doctor Atomic tells the story of the development of the atomic bomb by Robert Oppenheimer. The original opera from 2005 does not so much recount the historical events, but focuses on the motivations and psychology of the involved individuals (Robert Oppenheimer, Kitty Oppenheimer, and a handful of scientists from the Manhattan Project). Additionally, the symphony that Adams composed a few years later based on material from his opera illustrates how unchecked thirst for knowledge can drive humanity to its own destruction. Philip Glass' Icarus at the Edge of Time, on the other hand, tells the story of a boy who travels to a black hole out of insatiable curiosity. Michaël Pas serves as the narrator in a musical story where the mythological figure of Icarus is redefined: his longing for the unattainable does not cause him to fall from the sky, but allows him to experience one of Einstein's greatest insights. Acrobat Robin Witt takes on the role of Icarus, turning this evening into a spectacular event. As a dramatic counterbalance to Adams' Doctor Atomic Symphony, Glass' Icarus at the Edge of Time offers a positive perspective on humanity's drive to test the limits of knowledge and its own impermanence.

Antoine Goldschmidt

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Feb 22, 2025

Seasonal happening: Icarus at the Edge of Time · Antwerp Symphony Orchestra

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