John Adams

John Adams is an American conductor and composer, who has gained a reputation for creating works of great political importance. He is also known for developing his own compositional style which incorporates elements of many popular genres, including pop, jazz, and electronic music. Through much experimentation and development, Adams identified with the minimalist movement the most, like many composers of the 20th and 21st century composers.

Several of his operas focus on important moment in American history which would perhaps not be considered operatic material in other circumstances. These works include Nixon in China, Doctor Atomic, and The Death of Klinghoffer. He brings politics directly into the operatic sphere, and creates works which ask people to face the events as they happened, in an effort to make opera a vehicle for social change.