How a Cold War diplomatic mission became a landmark of modern American opera

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When director Peter Sellars first proposed an opera about Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, composer John Adams initially rejected the idea. He eventually changed his mind, realizing the trip offered a profound human drama. The resulting work, which premiered in 1987, transformed a contemporary political event into a mythic stage experience.

John Adams’s Nixon in China, with a libretto by Alice Goodman, broke significant ground by treating a recent historical event as the subject for an opera. The project began in 1983 when Peter Sellars suggested the concept, hoping to explore how myths are formed within contemporary history. Adams, who had never written an opera, was initially skeptical, fearing the work might devolve into satire. However, he and Sellars eventually committed to a heroic approach, focusing on the complex personalities of the six central figures: Richard and Pat Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Mao Zedong, Jiang Qing, and Zhou Enlai.

The opera’s score is a signature blend of Adams’s musical style, featuring driving minimalist riffs alongside lyrical melodies and forceful, energetic passages. Adams augmented the orchestra with a saxophone section and synthesizers, while incorporating elements of 19th-century romanticism and big-band jazz to reflect the era of Nixon’s youth. The vocal writing is equally distinct; Mao is cast as a heldentenor, while Nixon is portrayed as a self-doubting, melancholy baritone. The opera’s structure includes unusual choices, such as a quartet for four male politicians that excludes female voices entirely, emphasizing the gendered dynamics of the diplomatic summit.

The narrative follows the 1972 visit, moving from the arrival at the Beijing airfield to a formal banquet and a performance of Madame Mao’s revolutionary ballet. While the opera depicts iconic moments—such as Nixon’s famous V-for-Victory gesture—it prioritizes the internal lives of its subjects. By the final act, the characters reflect on their memories and the uncertainty of their achievements. Though the 1987 premiere at the Houston Grand Opera received mixed reviews, the work has since been recognized as a significant contribution to the operatic canon, proving that the intersection of politics and human vulnerability can sustain a lasting musical legacy.

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