In the countdown to Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics of 2020, major titles are scheduled to be run, with a star-studded casts including world-class singers, in the opera sector, too. In July 2019, Turandot by Puccini, and in June 2020, the Mastersingers of Nuremberg by Wagner will be performed at Tokyo Cultural Hall and New National Theater, two of the highest profile theaters of Japan. These masterpieces are sure to add more flair and fireworks to the Olympic Year.
Turandot, the first of the two titles, is performed 7 times including 3 nights in the Big Hall of Tokyo Cultural Hall starting from Friday, 12th of July and 4 nights at the Opera Palace of New National Theater from Thursday, 18th of July, 2019. This title, a first joint production by the two theaters in history, is already creating a lot of buzz as it is produced by Àlex Ollé, Art Director of an avant garde performance group La Fura dels Baus and who was responsible for the production of the Opening Ceremony of the Barcelona Olympics. Kazushi Ono, who was appointed Opera Art Director of New National Theater in 2018 and has acted as Musical Director of Barcelona Symphonic Orchestra since 2015, is General Producer and Conductor. The fact that the Barcelona Symphonic Orchestra is visiting Japan after 24 years’ interval is also exciting news in itself.
Kazushi Ono is General Producer and Conductor. After conducting opera works in many renowned theaters across the world, has acted as the Opera Art Director at New National Theater since 2018.
“Turandot” is well known as one of the titles by Giacomo Puccini, an Italian composer who wrote many operas. In fact, Puccini, as soon as completing the scene in which Liu kills herself, passed away, leaving behind the sketch scribbled with the conclusion of the opera’s story. That’s why this opera is known to have several different versions which are chosen for the purpose of production, such as a version which adds a little extension to the version of the opera’s first performance on stage. For these Japan dates, Àlex Ollé is the producer who mesmerizes art fans as well as opera fans with his spectacular production of stage space and bewitching spectacles synchronized with music. Furthermore, Iréne Theorin and Jennifer Wilson, known as the greatest sopranos of our times, are cast as Turandot, making it a must-see gem of a performing art.
BARCELONA SYMPHONY AND CATALONIA NATIONAL ORCHESTRA is coming to Japan after 24 years of interval © May Zircus
Dates are also set for performance at Biwako Hall and Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater, after Tokyo Cultural Hall, New National Theater. This is a consummate dream stage, gathering globally acclaimed talents to high-profile theaters across Japan. Be enthralled by the exquisite performance, only possible in Tokyo, Japan inebriated with its pre-Olympics mood.
◆“Opera Summer Festival, 2019-20, Japan⇔Tokyo⇔World”, Turandot
Tokyo Culture Hall, Big Hall
Fri, July 12th, Sat, July 13th, and Sun, July 14th 2019
New National Theater, Opera Palace
Thu, July 18th, Sat, July 20th, and Sun, July 21st, Mon, 22nd, 2019
Biwako Hall, Big Hall
Sat, July 27th & Sun, July 28th , 2019
Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater, hitaru
Sat, August 3rd & Sun, August 4th, 2019
