An ‘Awakenings’ Opera That Shows Oliver Sacks As His Friends Knew Him — A Gay Man
Dr. Oliver Sacks received worldwide acclaim for writing about his experiences with people who had unusual neurological conditions. His work spawned several adaptations for the stage and screen.
A 1990 film adaptation of his 1973 book “Awakenings” featured Robin Williams as a doctor based on Sacks and Robert Deniro as one of his patients. It garnered three Academy Award nominations, including one for best picture.
Months before Sacks’ death in 2015 at 82, he disclosed something he hadn’t previously felt comfortable talking about publicly: He was gay.
Now two of Sacks’ longtime friends have written an opera based on “Awakenings.” For the first time, an adaptation of Sacks’ writing will portray him, accurately, as a gay man.