Saturday 23 November from 8pm to 9pm
In this concert, soprano Ayako Ohtake (SBS Japan's VIVA! Opera) shares and performs some of the most beautiful and well-known art songs from Japan. Ayako is joined by pianist and associate artist Meena Ahn making her Blush Opera debut.
Japan's art song history represents centuries of exciting fusion of Japanese aesthetics with European romanticism. Ayako and Meena will perform a selection from different decades and composers including songs by Tōru Takemitsu, Yoshinao Nakada, Kousaku Yamada, and Makiko Kinoshita.
This concert will also include the premiere of a new composition by Blush Opera co-artistic director, Paul Smith, written collaboratively with Ayako and based on the writings of 9th century waka poet, Ono no Komachi.
Song lyrics will be provided in both Japanese and English translation.
Blush Opera主催のこのコンサートでは、日本の芸術歌曲に焦点を当て、ソプラノ歌手のAyako Ohtake(大武彩子)(SBS日本語放送(ラジオ)「Viva! Opera」ホスト)が、Blush Opera初登場となるピアニストでアソシエイト・アーティストのMeena Ahnとともに、最も美しい、あるいは知名度の高い日本の名曲の数々をお届けします。日本の芸術歌曲の歴史は、日本の美学と欧州のロマンティシズムとの数世紀にわたる刺激的な融合の歴史でもあります。武満徹、中田喜直、山田耕作、木下牧子など、異なる時代に生まれたさまざまな作曲家の作品を、二人の演奏でお楽しみください。