TMSO Special（11/29）
Venue: Sumida Triphony Hall
Daniele RUSTIONI, Conductor
Akiko TOMIHIRA, Soprano
Mihoko FUJIMURA, Mezzo-Soprano
New National Theatre Chorus, Chorus
Daniele RUSTIONI (Principal Guest Conductor)
Daniele Rustioni is one of today’s most dynamic conductors, celebrated for his artistry across leading opera houses and major orchestras worldwide. Named “Best Conductor” at the 2022 International Opera Awards, he has served as Music Director of Opéra National de Lyon since 2015, concluding his tenure in 2025. He was the first-ever Principal Guest Conductor at the Bavarian State Opera and, and he has become Principal Guest Conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in the 2025-26 season, where he debuted in 2017. He has led acclaimed productions including Carmen, Rigoletto, and Falstaff, and made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Met Orchestra in 2023. Rustioni has held major positions with the Ulster Orchestra and Orchestra della Toscana, and appears regularly with top ensembles across Europe, the U.S., and Japan where he debuted with Madama Butterfly at the Nikkikai Opera in 2014. Other orchestras in Japan include the HPAC Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Osaka Philharmonic. Rustioni has been appointed Principal Guest Conductor at the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in the 2025-2026 season. A former student of the Milan Conservatory, Accademia Chigiana, and Royal Academy of Music, he also records for major labels including Decca, Naxos, and Sony Classical.
Akiko TOMIHIRA (Soprano)
Graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and completed the graduate course in opera at the same university, as well as completing the opera course at the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart with top honors. After that, she was accepted to the Opera Training Institute of the Bayerische Staatsoper where she studied and performed in Der Rosenkavalier, Hänsel und Gretel and Die Zauberflöte. She has also appeared at theaters throughout Germany in such roles as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, and as Valenciennes in Die lustige Witwe. In Japan, she has performed in Die Zauberflöte and Kinkakuji directed by Amon Miyamoto, as well as Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Fidelio and in the title role of Lulu for Nikkikai Opera. And Musetta in La Boheme for Nissay Theatre, Frasquita in Carmen and FrauB in Natasha for New National Theatre Tokyo. She has also expanded her field of activity to include orchestral works such as Bernstein's Symphony No.3 Kaddish conducted by Eliahu Inbal with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, as well as German lieder. She is a Nikkikai member.
photo ©FUKAYA/auraY2
photo ©FUKAYA/auraY2
Mihoko FUJIMURA (Mezzo-soprano)
Mihoko Fujimura is one of the most soughtafter singers performing internationally. She was the first Japanese singer, singing a major role, to debut at the prestigious Bayreuth Festival. She returned to the festival for nine consecutive years, earning acclaim as a rare talent over two decades in the world of Wagner music. Since then, she has appeared in world famous opera houses including Staatsoper Wien. She also has performed with distinguished conductors including Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta and leading orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic.
In Japan, Mihoko Fujimura made her debut at the New National Theatre Tokyo singing Fricka in Der Ring des Nibelungen. Her solo performance for Beethoven’s ninth symphony with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, as well as her numerous opera performances and recitals, have been highly acclaimed. www.MihokoFujimura.com
photo©R&G Photography
In Japan, Mihoko Fujimura made her debut at the New National Theatre Tokyo singing Fricka in Der Ring des Nibelungen. Her solo performance for Beethoven’s ninth symphony with the NHK Symphony Orchestra, as well as her numerous opera performances and recitals, have been highly acclaimed. www.MihokoFujimura.com
photo©R&G Photography
New National Theatre Chorus (Chorus)
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.
