John Adams continues as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Composer of the Year with two concerts this weekend, tonight and tomorrow night, in which he will conduct the orchestra at Heinz Hall. "The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has scored a coup by presenting John Adams, arguably America's leading composer, as conductor," exclaims the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kanny.

Tonight's all-Adams program features selections from his first opera, Nixon in China, titled The Nixon Tapes, version 3, which includes three of its most well-known arias—"Landing of the Spirit of '76," "News has a kind of mystery," and "This is prophetic"—and the entirety of Act III; and Doctor Atomic Symphony, Adams's 2007 orchestral adaptation of his 2005 opera. Among the singers performing The Nixon Tapes are soprano Jessica Rivera (Pat Nixon) and tenor Russell Thomas (Chairmon Mao), both of whom were featured in the Nonesuch recording of Adams's latest opera, A Flowering Tree, and, as Richard Nixon, baritone James Maddalena, who originated that role in 1987.

Saturday's program opens with Britten's Sinfonia da requiem; followed by Adams's 2002 orchestral piece On the Transmigration of Souls, written in memory of those killed in the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack; and an encore presentation of Doctor Atomic Symphony. Joining the orchestra for the concert are the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and the Children's Festival Chorus.

Adams discusses each of his pieces on the program with the Tribune-Review; read the article at pittsburghlive.com.

Earlier this week, while in Pittsburgh, Adams visited the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall for a discussion of his recently released memoir, Hallelujah Junction, presented by Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures.

Adams will return to Pittsburgh in March to conduct violinist Leila Josefowicz and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in two performances of The Dharma at Big Sur on March 13 and 15.

For tickets and information on any of these events, visit pittsburghsymphony.org.