Nixon in China

[Guest]

Tonight on Sky Arts 2.

Conductor John Adams
Production Peter Sellars
Set Designer Adrianne Lobel
Costume Designer Dunya Ramicova
Lighting Designer James F. Ingalls
Choreographer Mark Morris
Sound Designer Mark Grey

Chiang Ch’ing Kathleen Kim
Pat Nixon Janis Kelly
Mao Tse-tung Robert Brubaker
Chou En-lai Russell Braun
Richard Nixon James Maddalena
Henry Kissinger Richard Paul Fink

[Belgrove]

That's weird - I'd just put this on the cd player.
Thanks for the alert, I'll record it. I've never grasped what is going on in the final act.

[VodkaDilc]

That's weird - I'd just put this on the cd player.
Thanks for the alert, I'll record it. I've never grasped what is going on in the final act.

I've never seen it complete, so I'm pleased that I suddenly noticed it's being shown today.

[VodkaDilc]

A question about opinions on subtitles for TV presentations of operas in English. This showing of Nixon in China had English subtitles throughout; isn't that a somewhat offensive slur on the clarity of the singers' voices - or have opera audiences become incapable of listening in their own language?

[rubbernecker]

Tonight on Sky Arts 2.

You've just reminded me I forgot to remind myself to set the damn recorder before departing for the weekend

[bluestateprommer]

Nice article by Richard Scheinin of the San Jose Mercury News on John Adams and Nixon in China:

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_20805969/john-adams-his-first-and-perhaps-favorite-opera

[Flosshilde]

A question about opinions on subtitles for TV presentations of operas in English. This showing of Nixon in China had English subtitles throughout; isn't that a somewhat offensive slur on the clarity of the singers' voices - or have opera audiences become incapable of listening in their own language?

I'm not sure if they ever were - it was fairly common practice, I think, for audiences to have a copy of the libretto when they attended a performance. The fact that house lights remained lit during the performance meant that it was possible to follow the text.

[Belgrove]

Don't forget that Adams is conducting the BBC SO in this at the Proms on 5th September. The wonderful Gerald Finley (Chou En-Lai, the most lyrical role in the work) is among the cast.