On This Day

American composer John Adams's first opera, "Nixon in China", premieres at the Houston Grand Opera, in Houston, Texas

Nixon in China is an opera in three acts by John Adams with a libretto by Alice Goodman. Adams's first opera, it was inspired by U.S.

Nixon in China is an opera in three acts by John Adams with a libretto by Alice Goodman. Adams's first opera, it was inspired by U.S. president Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China. The work premiered at the Houston Grand Opera on October 22, 1987, in a production by Peter Sellars with choreography by Mark Morris. When Sellars approached Adams with the idea for the opera in 1983, Adams was initially reluctant, but eventually decided that the work could be a study in how myths come to be, and accepted the project.

Historical Significance

Nixon in China is an opera in three acts by John Adams with a libretto by Alice Goodman.

Events Before

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  2. Bill Veeck dies

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  3. Aruba gains independence from the Netherlands Antilles

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Events After

  1. Czech-born tennis star Hana Mandlíková becomes an Australian Citizen

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  2. English Earl of St Andrews George Windsor marries Canadian academic Sylvana Tomaselli

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  3. Panamanian General Manuel Noriega is indicted by a US federal grand jury for drug trafficking and racketeering

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  4. The Soviet Union begins withdrawing its 115,000 troops from Afghanistan

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  5. Britain's Parliament passes Section 28 as law prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality. Repealed in 2001/2004.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 22, 1987?
Nixon in China is an opera in three acts by John Adams with a libretto by Alice Goodman. Adams's first opera, it was inspired by U.S. president Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to the People's Republic of China.
Why is American composer John Adams's first opera, "Nixon in China", premieres at th... significant?
Nixon in China is an opera in three acts by John Adams with a libretto by Alice Goodman.

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