Doctor Atomic – Opera San José

The gripping intensity of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic arrives in a new production at the California Theatre led by visionary General Director Shawna Lucey. Chronicling the moral and emotional turmoil surrounding the Manhattan Project, this opera dramatizes the high-­stakes days when J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team confronted the ethical weight of unleashing unprecedented destructive power. Haunting choruses and pulsating rhythms capture the tension between scientific breakthrough and human conscience. In the heart of Silicon Valley, where ideas become forces that shape the globe, this landmark work lands not only as history, but as a reflection of our own innovation and its enduring consequence. Maestro Joseph Marcheso returns to the podium to conduct this essential inquiry into the soul of the machine. Performances: Sun., February 14, 2027 @ 2pm Fri., February 19, 2027 @ 7:30pm Sun., February 21, 2027 @ 2pm Fri., February 26, 2027 @ 7:30pm Sun., February 28, 2027 @ 2pm Individual tickets are on sale as of July 14. > California Theatre Events Calendar > Visitor FAQs