Doctor Atomic to Explode in London, String Quartet to Premier tonight

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John Adams is the focus of a lot of attention, which will continue into 2010

Doctor Atomic, the opera by American composer John Adams (pictured) with libretto by Peter Sellar, is coming to the Coliseum in London. This production, mounted by maverick film-maker Penny Woolcock, received rave reviews when it appeared in New York's Metropolitan Opera last autumn. English National Opera brings the production to the UK to start a year of events focused on John Adams with the 2010 Barbican Series. The Barbican recently announced the season's lineup for the Great Performers programs forming the core of its classical music season, and includes six Adams works over six performances next spring.

As part of the Focus, baritone Thomas Hampson and the New York Philharmonic, led by conductor Alan Gilbert, will perform Adams's The Wound-Dresser along with works by Haydn, Schubert, and Berg, on February 4, 2010; Emanuel Ax will give the UK premiere, on March 5, of a new work for solo piano written for him. On March 25, the St. Lawrence String Quartet will give the UK premiere of Adams's String Quartet, at LSO St. Luke's.

John Adams's String Quartet receives its world premiere tonight in a performance by the St. Lawrence String Quartet at The Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater at 8 PM. The concert is part of Juilliard's annual FOCUS! festival.

Richard Morrison of the The Times wrote a lengthy article about Adam's earlier this week.

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