The Cold War on stage. During a time of tense relations between Washington and Beijing, John Adams' "Nixon in China" arrives in Paris at the Bastille Opera House with great timeliness. This opera has become a classic in the United States since its first showing in 1987, fifteen years after the US president's historic visit to China. Thirty-six years later, the show comes back to life in at least five opera houses in Europe, where it is less known. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES