Enter the heart of creation and discover the artists at work!

The Paris National Opera offers Arop members the privilege of observing the work of the artists and the genesis of a production at different times: work sessions, pre-dress rehearsals and dress rehearsals.

NIXON IN CHINA

In 1972, Richard Nixon visited Mao Zedong in China, marking the beginning of a rapprochement between the United States and China against the backdrop of the Cold War. Fifteen years later, American composer John Adams chose this episode as the subject of his first opera, a score marked by its rhythmic pulse, shimmering colours and intense lyricism.

The work entered the Paris Opera repertoire in 2023 in a production directed by Valentina Carrasco, who eschews realism in favour of the poetry of allegory and the magical, not without a touch of humour.

The common thread running through her dramaturgy is the metaphor of “ping‑pong diplomacy” – a reference to the first diplomatic overture through sport between China and the United States in 1971 – which combines with the metaphor of illusion to deliver spectacular images and a keen reflection on history and the vanity of power.  

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Conditions of access to dress rehearsals:

• The presentation of your Arop card is mandatory to collect your ticket at the Arop control on the same evening.

• At the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille, we have ""Protocol"" seats.

• Seats are assigned by membership level: Founding Patron members (Mécène Fondateurs) have priority over Patron members (Mécènes).

• Seats are assigned by order of booking arrival (first booking, first served) and cannot be guaranteed in case of late registration.

• Seating is free in the reserved areas: we advise you to arrive one hour before the start of the rehearsal.

Download the details of the reservation conditions and the access conditions.