What did I hear on the radio?

May 25, 2014 7:34 PM

A couple of years ago I heard something on the radio- I believe it was the local classical station. From what I remember it concerned Jiang Qing ("Madame Mao") and was described as a "waltz". I think the premise was she was dancing to the music as it was played on a record player and reminiscing, eventually fading out.

This was not The Chairman's Waltz from Memoirs of a Geisha, nor was it "I am the wife of Mao Tse-tung" from Nixon in China (it was just an orchestral piece, no vocals).

posted by dilaudid to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Best answer: You probably heard "The Chairman Dances", by John Adams. It's somewhat based on material that was originally planned to be in Nixon in China.
posted by bassooner at 7:46 PM on May 25, 2014 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: That was it- I knew it had to be something related to Nixon in China.
posted by dilaudid at 7:51 PM on May 25, 2014