Making ‘Nixon in China’
It was a move that fundamentally changed the nature of U.S.-China relations and ushered in a vital new era of diplomacy and international development. In 1972, President Richard Nixon traveled to the People’s Republic of China to meet with Chairman Mao Zedong. Pundits largely agree that while nothing extraordinary happened during the ceremonial trip, the visit amounted to a diplomatic revolution, ending 25 years of isolation between the two countries. For unconventional theater director Peter Sellars ’80, it was a story destined for the stage. On Tuesday, Sellars, along with musician and composer John Adams ’69, and poet and librettist Alice Goodman ’80, reconnected at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) to discuss their 1987 groundbreaking work “Nixon in China,” an opera based on the famous visit. Harvard President Drew Faust moderated the afternoon conversation that was part of a yearlong series of events marking the University’s 375th anniversary. As part of Harvard’s engagement with the...