Kazushi Ono is the definitive musical citizen of the world, having been born in Tokyo, studied in Munich and forged his early career in Zagreb, Karlsruhe and Tokyo. This variety of influences has shaped an inquiring and profound musical intellect and an ability to communicate meaning across languages and cultures, leading to longstanding relationships around the world.
Ono trained in Europe under Wolfgang Sawallisch and came to public attention winning first prize in the 1987 Toscanini Competition. Since his first appointment at Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in 1992 he has held continuous positions, including at Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Karlsruhe Opera, La Monnaie, Opéra National de Lyon, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, and currently, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, New National Theatre Tokyo and Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra.
A favourite of orchestral players, he has lasting friendships with orchestras around the world and regularly guest conducts groups such as London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
His passion and curiosity for repertoire takes him in different directions – to the standard classics but also to new music. He often commissions works and has collaborated several times with Mark-Anthony Turnage, including on Silent Cities, Hibiki (which won a Royal Philharmonic Society award) and Time Flies, which was originally commissioned for the 2020 Tokyo Olympiad. Recent commissions at NNTT include Asters by Akira Nishimura and Dai Fujikura’s A Dream of Armageddon. His programming there also includes Baroque, 20th-century and bel canto masterpieces.
In Europe he conducted the world premieres of Toshio Hosokawa’s Hanjyo in Aix-en-Provence, Arnulf Hermann’s Der Mieter at Oper Frankfurt and Kaija Saariaho’s Emilie at Opéra de Lyon, as well as new productions of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole and L’Enfant et les sortilèges at Glyndebourne and Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher at Opéra de Lyon. He has worked closely with boundary-breaking directors such as Dmitri Tcherniakov, Romeo Castellucci, Pierre Audi, William Kentridge and Mariusz Treliński
Ono is a vocal advocate for the role of culture in all our lives. During his time in Lyon he took part in a programme bringing opera to prisons and at TMSO he leads the inclusive SaLaD Music Festival, as well as working with community organisations for people with disabilities. In his new role in Brussels he will be part of an integration scheme for refugees. During the initial stages of the pandemic, he led ground-breaking research into the transmission of particles and the use of ventilation that meant that orchestras could get back to playing for audiences safely.
In 2017 he was awarded ‘Officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ by French cultural minister Françoise Nyssen, adding to the prestigious Asahi Prize in January 2015, for his contribution to the development and progress of Japanese society.
https://www.kazushiono.com/

Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts, at Tokyo University of the Arts. Completed the training program of Master Class Opera Singers at The Japan Opera Foundation. She moved to Italy as a trainee by the Japanese government, the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Since her debut at The Fujiwara Opera in 2000 as Giannetta from “L’elisir d’amore”, she has made her title role debut in “Madama Butterfly”. She has received high praise for Anita in “La Navarraise” in 2018. She has played the title roles in “Madama Butterfly” and “Tosca” at Opera Appreciation Class for high school students held in the New National Theatre. She has played Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth”, Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni”, the title role in “Aida”. Also, she has sung for many concerts, such as Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 & “Missa Solemnis”, Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem”, Mahler’s Symphony No.2 “Resurrection”.
It is fresh in our memory that she substituted the title role in the New National Theatre Opera “Tosca” in 2018 and received high praise. Member of The Fujiwara Opera.

Born in Kyoto Prefecture and completed undergraduate and graduate studies at the Tokyo University of the Arts, finishing top of her class, and has completed the necessary credit for the doctoral program. Received the Mai Muto Scholarship and completed short-term study in Vienna while a student. Received first prize at the 21st Concert Marronnier 21. Has appeared in many operas, including as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel (2019), as Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi (2021), and as Rosina in The Barber of Seville (2022) produced by the Nissay Theatre, as Fenena in the Fujisawa Citizen Opera’s production of Nabucco (2022), and as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro. Concert appearances as a soloist include the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass conducted by Kazushi Ono, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem and Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky. Has appeared on NHK-FM’s “Recital Passio”. Has undertaken Vesselina Kasarova’s master class hosted by Nagoya College of Music. A member of the Japan Vocalists Forum.

photo:©深谷義宣auraY2

Hidekazu Tsumaya graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and completed its graduate school. He was awarded the 24th Giraud Opera Award. After studying in Milan, he joined the Opernhaus Leipzig (1994 ~ 2001) and the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar (2002 ~ 2011) with an exclusive contract. He has also performed at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In Japan, he has performed in numerous theatres, including the New National Theatre, Tokyo. He has performed in a total of more than 1000 performances of 70 operas singing 100 roles. He celebrated 30 years as an opera singer in 2018. He performs as a soloist in orchestra concerts and Christian music. He plays an active role in master class education activities. He is scheduled to perform in the 2019 New National Theatre, Tokyo production of Tannhäuser as Hermann, and the Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation production of Hérodiade as Phanuel. He is a member of the Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation.

New National Theatre, Tokyo, opened in October 1997 as the only national theatre for the modern performing arts of Opera, Ballet, Contemporary Dance and Play. Meanwhile, New National Theatre Chorus started its career and has played a central role in many Opera performances all through the seasons. Their ensemble ability and rich voices have achieved acclaim from co-starred singers, conductors, directors, stage staffs as well as domestic and foreign media.