The opera Nixon in China by
John Adams(pictured), with a
libretto by
Alice Goodman, premiered at the
Houston Grand Opera on October 22, 1987. Adams' first opera, it was inspired by the
1972 visit to China by
US PresidentRichard Nixon. The composer augmented the usual orchestral instruments with a large
saxophone section, additional percussion, and an electronic
synthesizer. Displaying a variety of musical styles, the score embraces
minimalism alongside passages echoing 19th-century composers, and mixes
Stravinskian 20th-century
neoclassicism, jazz references, and
big band sounds reminiscent of Nixon's youth in the 1930s. The opera has been presented on many occasions, in both Europe and North America, and has been recorded twice. In 2011, the opera was staged at the
Metropolitan Opera, based on the original sets. Recent critical opinion recognizes the work as a significant and lasting contribution to American opera. (
more...)
1895 – A
Granville–
Paris Express train overran the
buffer stop at Paris' Gare Montparnasse station, careening across the concourse before crashing out of the station and plummeting onto the Place de Rennes below.
An immature Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella). This
damselfly species is found in most of Europe. It is notable for its black and blue colouring, but is often mistaken for the
Common Blue Damselfly, which is found across the same range.
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