Nixon in China: "News" -- James Maddalena (Met Opera)

Excerpt from the final dress rehearsal of John Adams' "Nixon in China" at the Met Opera on January 31, 2011.
Watch the entire performance on Met Opera on Demand: bit.ly/UBV7il
Production: Peter Sellars
Conductor: John Adams
The Metropolitan Opera
2010-11 Season

[@freshname]

A decade later and I'm still here for it. Nixon in China has been one of the greatest Met achievements in the Gelb years.

[@sebthirlway1634]

John Adams brought back "hard opera" - already done by Janacek, Prokofiev, Berg, Weill. It doesn't mean it's dark and heavy. It's opera, therefore it's completely crazy. But it blends heavy things and comedy, sometimes in the same moment. The treatment of Tricky Dicky and of Mao in this opera is exactly that: comedic, but also important. What could be more important than the meeting, finally, of the POTUS and the supreme ruler of China? But they're also subject to the rules of the stage - to be showmen,to show themselves, to be shown and disseted. Big shout out here to Alice Goodman, who wrote the words.

[@Orfeo68]

Yes!!!!!!

[@emr2425introibo]

I remember going to the premiere in Houston.

[@tomallison5029]

James Maddalena owns this role.

[@Argentynegal]

I saw this for the first time live in HD and was very curious about how this event was going to be portrayed on stage. You definiely need to do your homework-historywise, before watching it. The soprano that played Madam Mao hit high notes that gave me chills and Kathleen Kim was superb. They all were. Of course there were some scenes I was totally unaware of, that I did not agree and were quite embarassing to watch with my 13-year old daughter who had tagged along that time.

[@fcabezas]

THE SHOWSTOPPER This is so powerful live

[@tonylamberti9623]

i was there at the met for this opera..i wish the opera was opened today

[@Tokkemon]

He seems to be more convincing as Nixon 20 years older.

[@Kippsky45]

When I saw this in the Met HD transmission, during the offstage visits with the cast, Maddalena was suffering from a cold but went on to do the show anyway. That may account for how his voice sounds. If anything, time has given him more of the "Nixon jowls".

[@Nightmarigny]

possibly the most brilliant piece of theatre ever created

[@davidbastardo4154]

I love Nixon in China, but that is an exaggeration.

[@HectorJW2007]

@munkyb This clip is from the dress rehearsal. They released this video before the opera opened at the Met.

[@BergerKing064]

Is that the same Nixon as from the eighties?

[@brt1050]

I loved him in the original production, but time has not been kind to his voice...

[@MysteryAndroclese401]

Definitely incorporating this sort of style into my Rock Opera. (second act, first piece)

[@StevenOBrien]

@munkyb The full HD experience!

[@Long23]

@munkyb Yeah, and I could be wrong, but I'm not convinced that's a real plane either...

[@nathanseals4819]

Because it's a dress rehearsal and not the actual performance

[@theprivateer83]

Holy shit, I'm sorry but his performance in 1987 was far better. Sorry Mr Maddelena

[@davidbastardo4154]

His performance in the 1996 recording was also top notch.

[@heyhit]

love the cast but i would prefered a new stage production.

[@Heejinstar23]

Its called Nixon in China but none of the cast are chinese :/

[@mensch1066]

Yeah, and probably none of the people at your local Taco Bell or Chipotle are Mexican. What's your point? Hell, how many people who have played Otello have actually been "Moors" (dark skinned North Africans)? Why do such cultural quotas matter, unless you value skin tone over talent?

[@scrogneugneu2973074]

None of them are Nixon either despite it's called "Nixon in China". :-/

[@AP-dd3xp]

And since when do you have an Ethiopian soprano playing Aida?

[@Nightmarigny]

Kathleen Kim is Chinese.

[@Classic336]

@@Nightmarigny She's actually Korean-American.

[@MarinaSamoylovich]

Italian opera is better, sorry. I cannot listen to this.

[@TheChairmaker]

Hot damn is this opera terrible

[@mrturtle1128]

TheChairmaker u really should hear thomas ades😵 i never will understand his music, yet always so many praising his work🤪

[@Olivia-MaiSevigny]

I love his incredible voice