ABSTRACT
The opera brings the political systems of the United States and China into sharp relief by engaging the leaders' differing perspectives on the political spectrum. Although Nixon and MaoTse-tung may be viewed as occupying opposite ideological sides, right and left, their discussion in the opera reveals that their political leanings may not be far as they initially appear. Nixon, elected by the people of the United States through its democratic process, worried about the next election during his presidency and in the opera. Mao seized power through revolution and maintained power by sustaining the revolution through tight control of the political landscape. By American standards, Mao had ruled for an extraordinarily long time; however, from a Chinese perspective Mao's dynasty could be projected to last indefinitely. John Adams and Goodman highlight the differences between the systems of governance of the two countries, in terms of the political spectrum and the frequency with which changes of leadership occur.
