John Adams summary: Learn about the life of John Adams and his contributions to operas in the late 20th century.

John Adams, (born Feb. 15, 1947, Worcester, Mass., U.S.), U.S. composer. After studying at Harvard University, he taught at the San Francisco Conservatory and conducted widely. His compositions, initially strongly influenced by minimalism, became tempered by expressive elements. His Nixon in China (1987) and The Death of Klinghoffer (1991) are two of the best-known operas of the late 20th century; Doctor Atomic (2005), his third opera, was also performed often. Other celebrated works include Harmonium (1980), Harmonielehre (1984–85), and On the Transmigration of Souls (2002; Pulitzer Prize, 2003).