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Adams: Nixon In China / Orth, DeDominici, Alsop, Colorado Symphony
Naxos

Adams: Nixon In China / Orth, DeDominici, Alsop, Colorado Symphony

$35.99

Details

Composer
ADAMS, JOHN
Artist
Alsop, Kanyova, Orth, Heller, Dahl, Hammons, Yuan, Malde, Sims
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Oct 27, 2009
Catalog #
8669022-24
UPC
730099902274

About

"She leads the score with grand sweep and understanding, and her Colorado forces bring out its colors vividly; moreover, she inspires her cast to sing as if they're having a great time with this no-longer-new but still odd opera."


Nonesuch's 1987 recording of this opera, produced when the work was new, was revelatory. Though clearly a piece of mimimalism, it did not rely only on endless repetition; indeed, Adams' musical language was varied enough to make Nixon in China a fascinating opera despite very little action and a somewhat unrevealing text by Alice Goodman. The Nixons and the events of the 1972 visit came across as oddly shallow. It's clear now that that was the point: Nixon's first-act rant, "News has a kind of mystery", is much the key to the opera.

It also seems wittier and more purposefully ironic now, with Kissinger's villainy almost overshadowed by his ladykilling; Pat Nixon's innocence almost charming (we've seen worse since); Madame Mao's berserk aria even more pointedly wacky and funny; and the contrast between Chou En-lai's philosophizing and Richard Nixon's simplemindedness clearer than ever. During the toasts in the third scene of the first act, Chou's toast, an eloquent paean to the future ("Our children race downhill unflustered into peace..."), is accompanied by even arpeggios; when Nixon's clichés take over ("a vote of thanks to one and all who made this possible"), we're jarred into paying attention to his mundanity by disconnected, disparate tones. It's masterly.

Each scene in the first act still strikes me as a few minutes too long, but Act 2, particularly with the spectacular and varied music for the surreal opera performance, is riveting. The frustrating last act is oblique in its dramatic thrust (it features personal reflections from all of the characters except, tellingly, Kissinger), but it is food for thought even if it is a dramatic anti-climax. It's a strange, quiet way to end an opera--but take it for what it is.

This new recording, taken from a live performance at Denver's Ellie Caulkins Opera House in June, 2008, is brilliant. It is sonically way ahead of the Nonesuch (which was recorded at a very low level), thus making it possible to understand almost every word, and Marin Alsop's tempos are slightly slower than Edo de Waart's, which also helps comprehension. She leads the score with grand sweep and understanding, and her Colorado forces bring out its colors vividly; moreover, she inspires her cast to sing as if they're having a great time with this no-longer-new but still odd opera.

Robert Orth's Nixon has just the right amount of self-parody that "playing" Nixon requires--the distance between 1987 and now is very long and we can sense ironies from our vantage point that we were blind to then. Maria Kanyova's Pat also seems more sympathetic while remaining as publicly simple as she always was, and Kanyova's voice and diction are splendid. Marc Heller handles Mao's high tessitura, sometimes bordering on madness, with great character and flavor. Chen-Ye Yuan's Chou is beautifully sung and he captures both the character's joylessness and intelligence. Thomas Hammons (also on the Nonesuch recording) uses his dark, growling bass to show us everything we need to know about the cynical Kissinger, and Tracy Dahl, as Madame Mao, is pretty frightening, even while delivering her Queen of the Night-like aria.

There's not much to decide between this set and the Nonesuch, which is still available. As mentioned, this new one is sonically superior (and cheaper), but otherwise it's pretty much a tie. Naxos, like Nonesuch, supplies a libretto; Nonesuch's booklet has superb essays and a better synopsis.

--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com (10/10!)

Tracklist 41 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Act I Scene 1: Beginning 02:46
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: Beginning
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  3. 2 Act I Scene 1: Soldiers of heaven hold the sky (Chorus) 02:45
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: Soldiers of heaven hold the sky (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  4. 3 Act I Scene 1: The people are the heroes now (Chorus) 02:51
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: The people are the heroes now (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:51
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  5. 4 Act I Scene 1: Landing of the Spirit of '76 02:34
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: Landing of the Spirit of '76
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  6. 5 Act I Scene 1: Your flight was smooth, I hope? (Chou, Nixon) 01:25
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: Your flight was smooth, I hope? (Chou, Nixon)
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Chen-Ye Yuan, Robert Orth
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  7. 6 Act I Scene 1: News has a kind of mystery (Nixon, Chou, Kissinger, Chorus) 07:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act I Scene 1: News has a kind of mystery (Nixon, Chou, Kissinger, Chorus)
    Duration
    07:29
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Chen-Ye Yuan, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  8. 7 Act I Scene 2: Beginning - I can't talk very well. My throat… (Mao, Nixon, Chou, Kissinger, 3 Secretaries) 04:19
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: Beginning - I can't talk very well. My throat… (Mao, Nixon, Chou, Kissinger, 3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    04:19
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Robert Orth, Chen-Ye Yuan, Thomas Hammons, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  9. 8 Act I Scene 2: You know we'll meet with your confrere, the Democratic candidate (Mao, Nixon, Kissinger) 02:40
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: You know we'll meet with your confrere, the Democratic candidate (Mao, Nixon, Kissinger)
    Duration
    02:40
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Robert Orth, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  10. 9 Act I Scene 2: You've said that there's a certain well-known tree (Chou, Nixon, Mao, Kissinger, 3 Secretaries) 02:48
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: You've said that there's a certain well-known tree (Chou, Nixon, Mao, Kissinger, 3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Chen-Ye Yuan, Robert Orth, Marc Heller, Thomas Hammons, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  11. 10 Act I Scene 2: Founders come first, then profiteers (Mao, 3 Secretaries, Nixon, Chou, Kissinger) 07:25
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: Founders come first, then profiteers (Mao, 3 Secretaries, Nixon, Chou, Kissinger)
    Duration
    07:25
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici, Robert Orth, Chen-Ye Yuan, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  12. 11 Act I Scene 2: We no longer need Confucius (Mao, 3 Secretaries) 03:10
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: We no longer need Confucius (Mao, 3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    03:10
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  13. 12 Act I Scene 2: Like the Ming Tombs (Nixon, 3 Secretaries, Mao, Chou) 05:34
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act I Scene 2: Like the Ming Tombs (Nixon, 3 Secretaries, Mao, Chou)
    Duration
    05:34
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici, Marc Heller, Chen-Ye Yuan
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  14. 13 Act I Scene 3: Beginning - The night is young (Nixon, Pat, Chou, Kissinger, Chorus) 06:32
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act I Scene 3: Beginning - The night is young (Nixon, Pat, Chou, Kissinger, Chorus)
    Duration
    06:32
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Maria Kanyova, Chen-Ye Yuan, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  15. 14 Act I Scene 3: Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and Friends (Chou, Chorus, Pat, Kissinger) 07:00
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act I Scene 3: Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and Friends (Chou, Chorus, Pat, Kissinger)
    Duration
    07:00
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Chen-Ye Yuan, Maria Kanyova, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  16. 15 Act I Scene 3: Mr. Premier, distinguished guests (Nixon, Chorus) 02:48
    Track
    15
    Title
    Act I Scene 3: Mr. Premier, distinguished guests (Nixon, Chorus)
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  17. 16 Act I Scene 3: Cheers! (Chorus, Nixon, Chou, Pat, Kissinger) 04:16
    Track
    16
    Title
    Act I Scene 3: Cheers! (Chorus, Nixon, Chou, Pat, Kissinger)
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Chen-Ye Yuan, Maria Kanyova, Thomas Hammons
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  18. Disc 2
  19. 1 Act II Scene 1: Beginning - I don't daydream and don't look back (Pat) 03:49
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act II Scene 1: Beginning - I don't daydream and don't look back (Pat)
    Duration
    03:49
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  20. 2 Act II Scene 1: Look down at the earth (Chorus, Pat, 3 Secretaries) 05:51
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act II Scene 1: Look down at the earth (Chorus, Pat, 3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    05:51
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  21. 3 Act II Scene 1: This is prophetic! (Pat) 07:58
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act II Scene 1: This is prophetic! (Pat)
    Duration
    07:58
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  22. 4 Act II Scene 1: At last the weather's warming up (Pat, Chorus) 03:19
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II Scene 1: At last the weather's warming up (Pat, Chorus)
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  23. 5 Act II Scene 2: Beginning - Young as we are (3 Secretaries) 03:02
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: Beginning - Young as we are (3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    03:02
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  24. 6 Act II Scene 2: O what a day I thought I'd die! (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Chorus as Ching-hua, 3 Secretaries, Pat) 04:41
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: O what a day I thought I'd die! (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Chorus as Ching-hua, 3 Secretaries, Pat)
    Duration
    04:41
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Thomas Hammons, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici, Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  25. 7 Act II Scene 2: Whip her to death! (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Pat, Nixon) 02:58
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: Whip her to death! (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Pat, Nixon)
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Thomas Hammons, Maria Kanyova, Robert Orth
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  26. 8 Act II Scene 2: Tropical Storm: There there, there there (Pat) 04:57
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: Tropical Storm: There there, there there (Pat)
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  27. 9 Act II Scene 2: Flesh Rebels (Chorus as Militia) 03:09
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: Flesh Rebels (Chorus as Militia)
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  28. 10 Act II Scene 2: I have my brief (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Nixon) 01:11
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: I have my brief (Kissinger as Lao Szu, Nixon)
    Duration
    01:11
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Thomas Hammons, Robert Orth
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  29. 11 Act II Scene 2: It seems so strange (Chorus as Ching-hua, Chiang Ch'ing, Pat, Nixon, 3 Secretaries) 03:02
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: It seems so strange (Chorus as Ching-hua, Chiang Ch'ing, Pat, Nixon, 3 Secretaries)
    Duration
    03:02
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Tracy Dahl, Maria Kanyova, Robert Orth, Melissa Malde, Julie Simson, Jennifer DeDominici
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  30. 12 Act II Scene 2: I am the wife of Mao Tse-tung (Chiang Ch'ing, Chorus) 07:05
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act II Scene 2: I am the wife of Mao Tse-tung (Chiang Ch'ing, Chorus)
    Duration
    07:05
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Tracy Dahl
    Ensemble
    Opera Colorado Chorus, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  31. Disc 3
  32. 1 Act III: Beginning 01:10
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act III: Beginning
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    John Adams
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  33. 2 Act III: Some men you cannot satisfy (Kissinger, Nixon, Pat, Chou, Chiang Ch'ing) 03:09
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act III: Some men you cannot satisfy (Kissinger, Nixon, Pat, Chou, Chiang Ch'ing)
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Thomas Hammons, Robert Orth, Maria Kanyova, Chen-Ye Yuan, Tracy Dahl
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  34. 3 Act III: I am no one (Mao, Chou, Kissinger, Chiang Ch'ing, Pat) 03:47
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act III: I am no one (Mao, Chou, Kissinger, Chiang Ch'ing, Pat)
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Chen-Ye Yuan, Thomas Hammons, Tracy Dahl, Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  35. 4 Act III: The Maos Dance (Chiang Ch'ing, Mao, Pat, Nixon, Chou) 02:05
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act III: The Maos Dance (Chiang Ch'ing, Mao, Pat, Nixon, Chou)
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Tracy Dahl, Marc Heller, Maria Kanyova, Robert Orth, Chen-Ye Yuan
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  36. 5 Act III: Sitting around the radio (Nixon, Pat) 01:17
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act III: Sitting around the radio (Nixon, Pat)
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  37. 6 Act III: Let us examine what you did (Mao, Chiang Ch'ing, Chou) 02:55
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act III: Let us examine what you did (Mao, Chiang Ch'ing, Chou)
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Marc Heller, Tracy Dahl, Chen-Ye Yuan
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  38. 7 Act III: When I woke up I dimly realized the Jap Bombers had given us a miss (Nixon, Pat) 01:22
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act III: When I woke up I dimly realized the Jap Bombers had given us a miss (Nixon, Pat)
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Maria Kanyova
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  39. 8 Act III: I have no offspring (Chou, Mao, Chiang Ch'ing) 02:05
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act III: I have no offspring (Chou, Mao, Chiang Ch'ing)
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Chen-Ye Yuan, Marc Heller, Tracy Dahl
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  40. 9 Act III: I can keep still (Chiang Ch'ing) 03:14
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act III: I can keep still (Chiang Ch'ing)
    Duration
    03:14
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Tracy Dahl
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  41. 10 Act III: After that the sweat had soaked my uniform (Nixon, Pat, Chiang Ch'ing, Mao, Chou) 02:55
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act III: After that the sweat had soaked my uniform (Nixon, Pat, Chiang Ch'ing, Mao, Chou)
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Robert Orth, Maria Kanyova, Tracy Dahl, Marc Heller, Chen-Ye Yuan
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  42. 11 Act III: Peking watches the stars (Chiang Ch'ing, Mao) 03:30
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act III: Peking watches the stars (Chiang Ch'ing, Mao)
    Duration
    03:30
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Tracy Dahl, Marc Heller
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  43. 12 Act III: You won at poker (Pat, Nixon, Chiang Ch'ing, Mao) 04:02
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act III: You won at poker (Pat, Nixon, Chiang Ch'ing, Mao)
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Maria Kanyova, Robert Orth, Tracy Dahl, Marc Heller
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop
  44. 13 Act III: I am old and I cannot sleep (Chou) 04:57
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act III: I am old and I cannot sleep (Chou)
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    John Adams
    Performer
    Chen-Ye Yuan
    Ensemble
    Colorado Symphony Orchestra
    Conductor
    Marin Alsop