John Adams: Nixon in China (The Metropolitan Opera HD Live) (DVD+Blu-Ray)

ON THE SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE, 100 STARS!
This opera is the best and the most important of the XXth Century and the history of American opera, period. Everything comes together for what Mallarmé once called "the
Total work of Art"--the perfect fusing of poetry, narrative, music, dance, staging and cinematography. Adams himself of the podium, The Dean (or Prima Donna Assoluta) of stage directors,Peter Sellers; the best opera chorus in the world; and a cast of incomparable performers (James Maddalena created the role in 1987 and still performs it--and watch Katheleen Kim as Madame Mao!) and dancers, the best staging I have ever seen in an opera house; an a libretto made up of the most poetic lines ever to be uttered by singers . . . . And then, humane, incisive, tender treatment of some of the century's greatest political monsters, revealing their shared humanity beneath their public masks (Janis Kelly is simply heartbreaking as Pat Nixon). I already own Klingshoffer and Dr. Atomicus. Now, if i could only find...

News, news, news news news... the flight was smoo-ooo-ooo-ooth
In February of 1972, President Nixon's plane landed in China. I went to a middle of the night dinner party to celebrate. The little black & white TV was on the table with the food. I was the youngest at the table. Of all the friends, at the party, except sleeping children... I think I am the only surviver. I'll just say that it's me, and Henry Kissinger who live on. It was a very big event in my life. About 15 years later John Adams and Peter Sellars had developed the opera. There have been many performances all over the world. I listened to a recording. Last year the Metropolitan Opera broadcast Nixon in China with John Adams conducting. I loved the PBS High Definition broadcast. This blu-ray disc is that performance. A DVD copy is included with the blu-ray. Since 1987, I have been singing "Smooo-oooth," and "News, news, news." Yes, everyone wonders.... I have never encountered another human who sings those hits, off stage. But, that is your loss dear friends.

I will...

Very happy to see this on DVD!
I didn't pay much attention to this opera until I saw the broadcast on PBS. I was delighted to see and hear this monumental work performed so very well.

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