Ravel, Faure, Chausson... 2025 is the anniversary year of the French music masters! Tokyo Opera NEXT launches "Overture," a series of songs and chamber music
Tokyo Opera NEXT
Tokyo Opera NEXT (President and Music Director: Toshiaki Murakami, Conductor) has launched "Overture," a series of songs and chamber music. The theme of the first performance is "France”. It will be held at Kasumicho Ongakudo (Minato-ku, Tokyo) on Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Tokyo Opera NEXT, a new opera company that has been launching a series of projects with a unique approach, will launch a new series. The first theme of this memorable series "Overture" is "France".
Soprano Shoko Kumada will weave the beauty and delicate emotion of the French language. A rich musical dialogue with young talented flutist Yurino Uehata, veteran cellist Jun Oshima, and Tokyo Opera NEXT Music Director Toshiaki Murakami (piano), and their chamber music.
In 2025, the anniversary year of the great composers who represent French music, they will present a program filled with the spirit of France.
URL for details: https://operanext.jp/20250601ovtr1/
Overture vol.1 France 2025.6.1
The title of this series, "Overture" is an anticipation of the musical journey that is about to begin. For the audience, it is an encounter with music they have not yet heard, and for the performers, it is an opportunity to deeply confront the work and take on the challenge of new expression.
The theme of the first volume of the series is "France" and the year 2025 is the anniversary year of the leading composers of French music. In 2025, the year of the anniversary of Ravel (150 years since his birth), Fauré (180 years since his birth), and Chausson (170 years since his birth), they will present a special program filled with the spirit of France.
This ambitious concert explores a new relationship between singing and chamber music. This concert is for opera fans, chamber music fans, and all lovers of French music. Of course, even those who have never attended a classical concert before will fully enjoy the appeal of this concert.
■About the Performers
A quartet of musicians of different genders, generations, and backgrounds. At first glance, this may seem like an unexpected combination, but in fact it creates new musical possibilities. This new series is a new musical mechanism created by Tokyo Opera NEXT.
Soprano Shoko Kumada is a virtuoso in embodying the sound of French as music. Her voice is a beautiful fusion of poetry and melody, enveloping the audience with her tenderness. She was their first choice for this concert with a French theme.
Flutist Yurino Uehata is a young talent who has won numerous prizes in competitions. Her fresh sound of flute will fill the concert hall like an early summer breeze.
Cellist Jun Oshima's rich experience and musical wisdom will add depth to the chamber music performance. The audience will be able to sense the depth of the music in his profound and delicate tone.
The piano is played by Toshiaki Murakami, Music Director of Tokyo Opera NEXT. His outstanding sensibility as a conductor brings harmony to all the music in the chamber music performance. He has been planning to organize chamber music concerts since the establishment of the corporation, and they are confident that this will be a meaningful experiment for both the musicians and the audience.
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Why would an opera company take on the theme of "singing and chamber music"?
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Behind this is a belief that they have held since their founding.
The mission of Tokyo Opera NEXT consists of two pillars.
First, to broaden the base of opera fans by creating a variety of performance opportunities, and to contribute to the well-being of people through music.
Second, to serve as a platform that supports the lifelong artistic development of musicians.
The theme of "Song and Chamber Music" embodies the very core of this mission. It can be said that these activities are directly related to the very raison d'etre of the Tokyo Opera NEXT organization.
Featured Program
Ravel's Chansons madecasses (Songs of Madagascar), composed in 1926, consists of three pieces and is written for the rare combination of voice (mezzo-soprano or soprano), flute, cello, and piano. Due to its unusual instrumentation, performances of this piece are rare, making it a hidden gem known to those in the know.
Based on Malagasy poetry (translated into French), the music is characterized by exoticism, sensuality, and, at times, social messages. The second piece, Aoua! expresses anger towards colonialism. This masterpiece, which combines dramatic elements with social commentary, will be performed in its original instrumental arrangement—a unique opportunity to experience it as the composer intended.
■Music to be enjoyed in a high quality, secluded space
The venue is Kasumicho Ongakudo, an authentic concert salon located in Kasumicho, Nishiazabu. In this intimate space, you can experience the essence of classical music in a different setting from a large concert hall.
We hope you will enjoy the delicate sounds of French music in this special place.
[Performance Outline]
Performance Title: Tokyo Opera NEXT "Overture" Vol. 1 - Theme "France
Date: June 1, 2025 (Sun.) Concert begins at 14:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Venue: Kasumicho Ongakudo (B1, 4-2-6 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Performers: Shoko Kumada (soprano), Yurino Uehata (Flute), Jun Oshima (Cello), Toshiaki Murakami (Piano, Music Director of Tokyo Opera NEXT)
[Program] (tentative):
Ravel: Chansons madececar (Songs of the islanders of Madagascar)
Chaminade: Serenade aux Etoiles
Faure: Apres un reve
Saint-Saens: Une flute invisible
Poulenc: Airs chantes
Debussy: Vc Sonata, etc.
[Ticket information]
Tickets are available at the following website (digital tickets):
All seats unreserved, tax included
General 6,000 yen, U25(Under 25 years old) 3,000 yen
NEXT Supporter Club members: preferential price 5,500 yen
If you wish to receive the special discount, please consider becoming a member of NEXT Supporter Club.
Original Quartet (Soprano Sachiko Kumada, Flute Yurino Uehata, Cello Jun Oshima, Piano Toshiaki Murakami)
Organizers
Tokyo Opera NEXT
About Tokyo Opera NEXT
Tokyo Opera NEXT is a professional opera company, a group of musicians consisting of an orchestra (the NEXT Orchestra), singers, chorepetitians, and a conductor. By creating diverse performance opportunities, we broaden the base of opera fans and contribute to the well-being of people through music. It also aims to function as a platform that supports the lifelong artistic development of musicians.
<Background of Establishment
Tokyo Opera NEXT began as a study group for professional musicians started by Hisaaki Murakami (conductor) and Akie Amou (soprano). Having many years of experience working with European opera houses, the two felt strongly about the need for a place where musicians could engage in friendly competition with each other, and they hit it off about the role they should play in the Japanese opera world. Later, Hiromasa Oguroya (contrabassist) joined them to form the NEXT Orchestra, which was incorporated in April 2024. In November of the same year, the orchestra welcomed tenor Toshiaki Murakami as its new director and Yumi Koyama, a world-class mezzo-soprano for many years, as its special artist.
NEXT Orchestra: The professional orchestra NEXT Orchestra is led by conductor Hisaaki Murakami. The orchestra brings together an elite group of musicians who place great importance on their abilities.
＜About Toshiaki Murakami, President, Music Director and Conductor
After graduating from Toho Gakuen School of Music, Murakami studied in Germany and Austria. While a student at Toho Gakuen School of Music, he studied under Seiji Ozawa, and during his study abroad period, he accompanied Seiji Ozawa on many performances in Japan and Europe as his assistant and studied under his master. After returning to Japan after his experience in European theaters, he has been assigned with Seiji Ozawa at the Seiji Ozawa Music School for two consecutive years ("Die Fledermaus" in 2016 and "Carmen" in 2017). The spirit of music he inherited from Ozawa and his desire to pass it on to the next generation is reflected in the organization name "NEXT.
Profile of Toshiaki Murakami
Hisaaki Murakami, Conductor (Representative Director)
<Activities in 2025
In 2025, the second year of its foundation, the group will produce its first opera "The Magic Flute" at La Folle Journée TOKYO 2025 in May, its first opera performance "Don Giovanni" at Hakju Hall in July, and a performance of the opera "Hansel and Gretel" in Hakone-cho, Japan, in December. Overture," a series of song and chamber music concerts, is scheduled to be held three times in its first year.
In addition, the NEXT Orchestra will perform the Verdi Requiem with the Choral Fantasy in Hino (Hino City) in February, followed by the German Requiem at the 20th regular concert of the Bunkyo Civic Chorus in September. New projects are being planned one after another, and the future development is attracting a lot of attention.
Outline of the corporation and board of directors
Corporate name: General Incorporated Association Tokyo Opera NEXT (non-profit general incorporated association)
Date of Establishment: April 3, 2024
Representative Director: Toshiaki Murakami
Directors: Akie Amou, Hiromasa Oguroya, Toshiaki Murakami(Tenor)
Auditor : Tatsunari Asakura
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