“Double Helix,” a scene from the opera LSD: Huxley’s Last Trip, depicts Francis Crick and James Watson celebrating their discovery of DNA at the Eagle Pub in Cambridge, England. Crick reveals that while under the influence of LSD, he visualized the double helix structure for the first time. Patrons at the bar comment on his revelation, while LSD hovers in the background. 

In LSD: Huxley’s Last Trip, iconic figures such as Aldous Huxley, Albert Hofmann, Timothy Leary, and JFK’s mistress Mary Meyer, along with the CIA’s MK-ULTRA program, represent the powerful cultural, political, and spiritual forces set into motion by Albert Hofmann’s discovery of lysergic acid diethylamide. LSD was subsequently appropriated for nefarious uses by government agencies and psychopaths, while simultaneously extolled for its powers of illumination by writers and spiritual leaders. Practically half a century had to pass before the value of psychedelics as therapeutic agents in medical and psychiatric settings began to gain traction and respect. 

This opera is currently in development, with initial support from Opera America’s Discovery Grant. Additional excerpts from the opera have been performed with the PARTCH Ensemble at REDCAT, the Wallis Annenberg Theater, and the Schindler House. The libretto is by Gerd Stern, Edward Rosenfeld, and Anne LeBaron.