John Adams Returns to Paris for Cité de la Musique Residency

Composer and conductor John Adams returns to Paris for a two-week residency at the Cité de la musique from March 16 to 27, 2010, featuring concerts, a film, and a forum. The program includes performances by the London Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, and Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble, with Adams conducting several of his own works, including the French premiere of City Noir, a commission by the LSO and Salle Pleyel. The residency also showcases works by Ravel, Stravinsky, and Debussy. In an interview with Franck Mallet for art press, Adams discusses his evolution from minimalism, his move to Los Angeles in 1971 influenced by the Beat generation and rock music, and his ongoing collaboration with director Peter Sellars on a new opera inspired by the New Testament. He reflects on the impact of minimalism in America, noting that while Steve Reich and Philip Glass remain influential, younger composers are moving toward more extreme styles. Adams also addresses the role of popular music in his work, citing Brahms, Mahler, and Stravinsky as precedents. City Noir, he explains, evokes an impression of multiple American cities, blending fascination, fear, and California culture. The residency includes performances of A Flowering Tree, Shaker Loops, and Chamber Symphony, among others.