Nixon In China (Opera): Act I Scene 3

[pj3679]

i love opera, even when i cant follow what they are saying or singing, i just love the music

[PaperSpock]

There's just something that seems surreal, almost humorous about making an opera about Nixon in China so soon after it happened.

That said, this just tickles me musically and rhythmically. There's parts that felt like mass chaos the first time I heard them, but each additional listening seems to make the layers more clear to me, and so I find myself liking it more with each listening.

[thekoanis]

I'm going to spend 4 hours checking this out at my local movie house today! I checked it out from the library several years back and couldn't stop listening to it. It is fascinating. The instant classic of contemporary music.

[5botball]

did John Adams work with a choreographer if so who?

[flipsyboy]

@5botball  Adams worked with the great contemporary choreographer Mark Morris for this production.

[cdpete]

If you listen to the major Italian and French and German operas - words and phrases are repeated a lot - Adams style is exciting, thrilling and for the most part clear.

This is one of my favorite operas - just ordered the DVD -

[brt1050]

Just a quick question: are they (the chorus) repeating the word "cheers"? I can't tell what word they're singing!

[flipsyboy]

@brt1050 They are mostly repeating "Cheers!" over and over again, though during the more complex part after Nixon's "I opposed China and I was wrong!" (when Nixon, Pat, Kissinger and Chou all start singing different things) they are singing different words along with Chou: "We must broadcast seeds of goodwill," "The Chinese people are renowned," and "Look down and think what the Chinese people have to done to earn this praise."

[pdee333]

After listening to some of this nonsense, we've opted to forgo our season tickets tonight, and stay home. Why fake it.

[cdpete]

@pdee333

Kind of sad for you - it's an important opera for the last half of the 20th century. My 84 year old father found it mesmerizing.

[pdee333]

@cdpete kinda sad for you too..

[cdpete]

@pdee333 Am making plans to see this at the MET in NYC next season -if it's good enough for the MET - it's worth your time to check it out - just MYHO.

[severalemilys]

Saw the Vancouver Opera's production of this last night (the dress rehearsal) and the staging is just fantastic-- and Sally Dibblee as Pat Nixon is especially fine.

[escamillo]

Hammer!!... das geilste Opernerstenaktfinale des 21. Jahrhunderts!

[hubertus1997]

bitte , 20.jhdt.!!!

[28g34ajbsd]

This is where he quotes Mao. Incredible harms and arrangements.

[lilaspastia1]

This is a truly fabulous opera! Why isn't it promoted more?

[JeeRant]

I LOVE this opera...an all-time favorite! Naxos is releasing a new recording in October, I'm practically beside myself with excitement.

But seriously, we need a good DVD release of 'Nixon in China'. I have the bootleg DVD of this production, and it's excellent, but I would love to have an 'official' version. I hear N.I.C. is is coming to the Met in 2012 or something, I'm crossing my fingers for a high-definition broadcast.

[fringelily]

Is there any way, anywhere that I can get a DVD copy of this seminal work? ... I would give my eye-teeth if cash is not enough ... I've tried everything!

[Robgea]

It's in the video description.

[fringelily]

Thanks for resolving a maddening search that lasted for years and always ended with "I'm sorry, it's not available on dvd".

[kelsiejackson]

Hard to tell which is better in this opera, the music or that magnificent libretto. The crazed, "Washington's birthday!" is a sidesplitting masterstroke.

[dojokonojo]

I have never seen an Opera in English before until now. This is so strange but amazing haha

[galakatz]

Naxwell, casting opera is not the same as casting for film or television. Singers are cast for particular roles because of their voice and sometimes body types. If this is the original Houston Opera production, the lead roles were sung by singers with whom director Peter Sellers had worked previously, and the chorus was from the Houston Grand Opera.

[Naxwell]

I wish they used actual Chinese people for this. Or at least Asian people.

[28g34ajbsd]

yeah, and an east-europe exile for Kissinger, right? :P

[stickyfixer]

awesome

[curlyman217]

its just too rhythmically complex not to love!

[ricarleite]

I feel they just opened an encyclopedia and said, whatever page we open, we'll do a fucking opera about it.

[Thraikios]

Think about it, at the time it was a huge thing...

Nixon the staunch anti-communist meets with Mao? Mao, the very one who urged the Soviets to nuke the capitalists?

This is the modern equivalent of mythology, great stuff for opera...

[MargraveofTad]

Wonderful music. Thanks. Is the link given, operapassion reliable for purchase?

[rexeterna]

pretty reliable. i've bought a few dvd's from them. the problem is you never know what kind of quality the picture is. sometimes it will be REALLY good quality, decent quality (like this), or poor quality. just ask around, or find a youtube excerpt for an idea. but they're great for finding rare stuff.

[MargraveofTad]

Thanks. I think I'll buy this...wonder what else I'll find there.

[blackeconomics]

I went to the ENO to see this, in 1999, it was AMAZING.

[Tubetepec]

Brilliant!