Death of Klinghoffer
InThe Death of Klinghoffer(1991), John Adams turns his cascading minimalism to the  tragedy of the Achille Lauro. This spacious recording makes grand what seems so minor in the great  scheme of things: a group of terrorists hijack an ocean liner and kill a wheelchair-bound Jewish retiree,  Leon Klinghoffer. If the conceit of Adams' earlier opera,Nixon in China, seems a bit incredulous  (Richard Nixon as opera subject?),The Death of Klinghofferis genuine tragedy--Greek chorus and  all. Alice Goodman is the librettist. This is one of the 20th century's best operas. A must.--Paul  Cook