Nixon In China (Opera): Act I Scene 3

http://store.operapassion.com/dvdww109.html
John Adams's first opera Nixon In China (1985-7), produced by Peter Sellars, with libretto by Alice Goodman, about the visit of Richard Nixon to China in 1972, where he met with Mao Zedong and other Chinese officials.
Act I Ending -
On the first night of the visit, a great feast for the American delegation is held in the Great Hall of the People 人民大會堂. The Nixons and Chou gradually relax in one another's company as good food and strong drink takes its effect. Chou rises to make a toast to the American delegation, full of fulsome praise and wishes for peaceful co-existence. Nixon responds in kind, congratulating the Chinese for their hospitality and recanting his previous opposition to China. The party continues with mutual compliments and toasting.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• John
• Adams
• Nixon
• In
• China
• America
• Chairman
• Mao
• Zedong
• 毛澤東
• Peter
• Sallars
• Kissinger
• 基辛格
• 江青
• Houston
• Grand
• Opera
• Miminalism

[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...

[curlyman217]

its just too rhythmically complex not to love!

[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.

[flipsyboy]

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

[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."

[5botball]

did John Adams work with a choreographer if so who?

[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.

[pdee333]

@cdpete kinda sad for you too..

[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 -

[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.