Watch: John Adams on Creating Opera for Our Times

Browse by:
Year
Browse by:
Publish date (field_publish_date)
Submitted by nonesuch on
Article Type
Publish date
Excerpt

Composer John Adams, in a new video from his publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, discusses how great operas throughout history confront deep issues of our human existence, and how contemporary operas—including his own Doctor Atomic, The Death of Klinghoffer, and Nixon in China—explore themes of humanity, intolerance, and power through the lens of recent history. You can watch it here. All of the above and more are included in the forty-disc box set John Adams Collected Works released last year on Nonesuch.  Adams will conduct his opera Girls of the Golden West performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, featuring Julia Bullock among others, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, January 27–29.

Copy

Composer John Adams, in a new video from his publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, discusses how great operas throughout history confront deep issues of our human existence, and how contemporary operas—including his own Doctor Atomic, The Death of Klinghoffer, and Nixon in China—explore themes of humanity, intolerance, and power through the lens of recent history. You can see what he has to say in the video below.

All of the above operas and more are included in the forty-disc box set John Adams Collected Works released last year. The set features recordings spanning more than four decades of the composer’s career with the label, plus two extensive booklets with new essays and notes by Timo Andres, Julia Bullock, Robert Hurwitz, Nico Muhly, and Jake Wilder-Smith. Nonesuch made its first record with John Adams in 1985; he was signed exclusively to the label that year, and since then the company has released forty-two first recordings and thirty-one all-Adams albums. Collected Works includes thirty-five discs of Nonesuch recordings and five from other labels. You can pick up a copy here.

John Adams will conduct his opera Girls of the Golden West performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, featuring Julia Bullock among others, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, January 27–29. Details/tickets here.

featuredimage
John Adams: 'On Creating Opera for Our Times' [video]
  • Wednesday, January 18, 2023
    Watch: John Adams on Creating Opera for Our Times
    Boosey & Hawkes

    Composer John Adams, in a new video from his publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, discusses how great operas throughout history confront deep issues of our human existence, and how contemporary operas—including his own Doctor Atomic, The Death of Klinghoffer, and Nixon in China—explore themes of humanity, intolerance, and power through the lens of recent history. You can see what he has to say in the video below.

    All of the above operas and more are included in the forty-disc box set John Adams Collected Works released last year. The set features recordings spanning more than four decades of the composer’s career with the label, plus two extensive booklets with new essays and notes by Timo Andres, Julia Bullock, Robert Hurwitz, Nico Muhly, and Jake Wilder-Smith. Nonesuch made its first record with John Adams in 1985; he was signed exclusively to the label that year, and since then the company has released forty-two first recordings and thirty-one all-Adams albums. Collected Works includes thirty-five discs of Nonesuch recordings and five from other labels. You can pick up a copy here.

    John Adams will conduct his opera Girls of the Golden West performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, featuring Julia Bullock among others, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, January 27–29. Details/tickets here.

    Journal Articles:Artist NewsVideo

Enjoy This Post?

Get weekly updates right in your inbox.
terms

X By submitting my information, I agree to receive personalized updates and marketing messages about Nonesuch based on my information, interests, activities, website visits and device data and in accordance with the Privacy Policy. I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com.

Thank you!
x

Welcome to Nonesuch's mailing list!

Customize your notifications for tour dates near your hometown, birthday wishes, or special discounts in our online store!
terms

By submitting my information, I agree to receive personalized updates and marketing messages about Nonesuch based on my information, interests, activities, website visits and device data and in accordance with the Privacy Policy. I understand that I can opt-out at any time by emailing privacypolicy@wmg.com.

Related Posts

  • Wednesday, April 23, 2025
    Wednesday, April 23, 2025

    "When you've had a six decade long career at the forefront of contemporary music, and your record label issues a 27-disc box set called Collected Works, you tend to want to look back a bit," says New Sounds host John Schaefer. "Steve Reich is the subject of such a box set." Reich is also Schaefer's guest for the full hour of the show, in which they do look back to hear and discuss some of those earlier works as well as two new works in the set, Jacob’s Ladder (2023) and Traveler’s Prayer (2020). You can hear the episode via WNYC here.

    Journal Topics: Artist NewsRadio
  • Wednesday, April 23, 2025
    Wednesday, April 23, 2025

    Ringdown's Danni Lee Parpan and Caroline Shaw, whose debut album together, Lady on the Bike, is out May 9, stopped by for the Nonesuch Selects video series, in which artists visit the Nonesuch office, pick some of their favorite albums from the music library, and share a few words on their choices. The duo chose recordings by Hurray for the Riff Raff, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Vagabon, Mountain Man, k.d. lang, and Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Parpan recommends a few by an artist named Caroline Shaw.

    Journal Topics: Artist NewsNonesuch SelectsVideo