Chapter 59: Reality Shows: Adams and Contemporary Opera
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Although educated at Harvard, John Adams has made most of his career in:
a. Paris, France. c. El Paso, Texas.
b. Vienna, Austria. d. San Francisco, California.
2. The music of John Adams reflects the influence of:
a. rock. c. Mozart.
b. serialism. d. all of the answers shown here
3. Who wrote the opera Nixon in China?
a. Terry Riley c. Steve Reich
b. John Adams d. Philip Glass
4. The central character of John Adams’s opera Doctor Atomic is:
a. Albert Einstein. c. Richard Nixon.
b. J. Robert Oppenheimer. d. Hans Geiger.
5. The librettist for Doctor Atomic is:
a. Peter Sellars. c. Bob Dylan.
b. John Adams. d. Alice Goodman.
6. Which of the following was NOT a source for Doctor Atomic’s libretto?
a. John Donne’s poetry c. William Shakespeare’s sonnets
b. sacred Hindu scripture d. Charles Baudelaire’s poetry
7. What is the subject of the opera Doctor Atomic?
a. the creation of the atomic bomb c. the importance of science
b. the bombing of Nagasaki d. all of the answers shown here
8. What is the source for “At the sight of this”?
a. the Bhagavad Gita c. the Koran
b. the Bible d. a poem by John Donne
9. What mood does the chorus evoke during “At the sight of this”?
a. apprehension and terror c. glee
b. joy d. longing
10. John Adams won a Pulitzer Prize for _______.
a. The Death of Klinghoffer c. On the Transmigration of Souls
b. Nixon in China d. Doctor Atomic
11. Which composer is considered a post-minimalist?
a. John Adams c. John Tavener
b. Terry Riley d. Jennifer Higdon
TRUE/FALSE
1. John Adams can be considered a post-minimalist composer.
2. Nixon in China is an opera by Philip Glass.
3. John Adams won a Pulitzer Prize for Shaker Loops.
4. Doctor Atomic tells of the events leading to the initial test of the first atomic bomb.
5. “At the sight of this,” from Doctor Atomic, includes electronic sonorities.
6. John Adams wrote an opera based on an episode in which Palestinian militants hijacked a cruise
ship and killed one of its Jewish passengers.
7. Operas such as Doctor Atomic provide a factually accurate account of historical events.
8. The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Muslim scripture.
9. Doctor Atomic is based on the life of Albert Einstein.
10. Peter Sellars wrote the libretto for Doctor Atomic.
11. The libretto for Doctor Atomic is based on memoirs, government documents, poetry, and sacred
scripture.
12. Doctor Atomic does not provide any social or political commentary on the opera’s subject.
ESSAY
1. How does Doctor Atomic seek to convey emotional truths through semi-fictional accounts of the
creation of the atomic bomb?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: Essentials: pp. 333–334
TOP: Adams MSC: Applied
2. Why are several of John Adams’s works considered controversial?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
