Minimalist Icons: John Adams

John Adams’ 1987 opera Nixon in China is, in the words of Gramophone, “a work of the kind destined to create a sensation even among those who normally pay little or no attention to the medium of opera.” You might say the same of all of Adams’ music, that its lyrical richness, overwhelming beauty, and persistent pulse make it uniquely appealing in any form. As part of our Minimalist Icons festival, Adams himself conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and acclaimed vocal soloists in music from four of his operas, all of which amplify the emotional power of historical (Death of Klinghoffer, Doctor Atomic, Nixon in China) and spiritual (El Niño) events.