2026/2027 Season - OPERA
Welcome to the New National Theatre Tokyo
Experience a lifetime of theatre through opera and ballet
Tokyo is a stage for all things fascinating from all over the world, including the performing arts. Join us in the heart of the metropolis and indulge in the captivating performances of world-class opera, ballet, dance, and drama.
The New National Theatre Tokyo (NNTT) is a globally unique institution that comprises three venues: Opera Palace, Playhouse, and The Pit.
Tokyo is a stage for all things fascinating from all over the world, including the performing arts. Join us in the heart of the metropolis and indulge in the captivating performances of world-class opera, ballet, dance, and drama.
The New National Theatre Tokyo (NNTT) is a globally unique institution that comprises three venues: Opera Palace, Playhouse, and The Pit.
The Opera Palace, with a seating capacity of 1,806, hosts enchanting opera and ballet performances featuring internationally renowned conductors, directors, choreographers, singers, and the talented dancers of the National Ballet of Japan (NBJ). Together, they continuously deliver exquisite entertainment to the audience, creating unforgettable experiences on stage. The walls and ceilings of the Opera Palace auditorium are finished with thick oak wood, creating not only a warm ambiance but an ideal acoustic environment that allows the singers' voices to resonate beautifully. The venue itself feels like a musical instrument.
International visitors can enjoy any performance fully as there are English and Japanese surtitles displayed during all opera performances. The entire theatre is designed to maximise natural light, offering a delightful experience.
Don't miss the chance to explore the foyer exhibitions and indulge in authentic Italian cuisine on the third floor before or after a performance.
Adding to its appeal, the NNTT is located in Hatsudai, just one station away from vibrant Shinjuku. When sightseeing in the capital, enhance your experience by including a visit to the NNTT.
The Opera Palace, with a seating capacity of 1,806, hosts enchanting opera and ballet performances featuring internationally renowned conductors, directors, choreographers, singers, and the talented dancers of the National Ballet of Japan (NBJ). Together, they continuously deliver exquisite entertainment to the audience, creating unforgettable experiences on stage. The walls and ceilings of the Opera Palace auditorium are finished with thick oak wood, creating not only a warm ambiance but an ideal acoustic environment that allows the singers' voices to resonate beautifully. The venue itself feels like a musical instrument.
International visitors can enjoy any performance fully as there are English and Japanese surtitles displayed during all opera performances. The entire theatre is designed to maximise natural light, offering a delightful experience.
Don't miss the chance to explore the foyer exhibitions and indulge in authentic Italian cuisine on the third floor before or after a performance.
Adding to its appeal, the NNTT is located in Hatsudai, just one station away from vibrant Shinjuku. When sightseeing in the capital, enhance your experience by including a visit to the NNTT.
2026/2027 SEASON OPERA
OPERA
Artistic Director of Opera Kazushi ONO
It is our great pleasure to present three new productions for the 2026/27 season: Rossini's Il Turco in Italia, Britten's Peter Grimes, and Verdi's Macbeth.
We open the season with Il Turco in Italia. A co-production of Teatro Real of Madrid and Opéra National de Lyon, it was first staged in Madrid in 2023. Rossini created an enchanting opera out of a farcical romantic comedy involving many characters by providing elegant and witty arias, duets, trios, and a large-scale finale. Don't miss this opportunity as this opera is not so frequently staged.
The production is directed by Laurent Pelly, who is known for his stylish and spiced-up stagings. Many of you may recall his brilliant production of Handel's Giulio Cesare set in a museum in Egypt staged a few years ago. Acclaimed young Italian conductor, Alessandro Bonato makes his NNTT debut. Rising star Claudia Muschio, who made an impressive debut as Amina in our season opening La Sonnambula in 2024, returns as Fiorilla, a role that will bring out her charming and bright presence. Selim will be sung by Giorgi Manoshvili from Georgia, a country that has produced many world-class singers. With Paolo Bordogna, Ruzil Gatin, and Bruno Taddia, we have an unparalleled Rossini cast.
In November, we will stage Benjamin Britten's masterpiece, Peter Grimes. Having studied music from an early age, Britten was influenced by Shostakovich and Schoenberg, but it was Alban Berg with whom he had hoped to study. His subsequent approach, particularly his style of exploring the depths of human psychology in opera, reveals similarities with Berg.
The fisherman Peter Grimes is misunderstood by the villagers for being too blunt and he becomes increasingly alienated from society. But in Acts 2 and 3, it becomes clear that the villagers who mock Grimes are in fact the sick ones. The orchestral interludes that evoke the sea suggest that this is a universal human theme that remains unchanged even as the times change.
The production by the eminent director Robert Carsen received acclaim when it was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in 2023. Renowned tenor Brandon Jovanovich, who sang the role of Grimes at the Scala, reprises the role in Tokyo, and acclaimed British soprano, Sally Matthews sings Ellen. We also have a fine Japanese cast who are all outstanding both vocally and dramatically. Moreover, the chorus plays a central role in this work, so listen out for the scenes featuring our New National Theatre Chorus.
Meanwhile, Verdi's Macbeth closes our season. It is the finest of his early operas and Verdi reportedly said that "Macbeth is one of the greatest creations of Shakespeare, so surely it will not fail." In particular, Lady Macbeth's powerful aria that anticipates the murder of King Duncan that night takes the drama to a new dimension, together with the surging sounds of the orchestra. Meanwhile, Macbeth, having committed numerous murders, becomes tormented by their ghosts; the combination of his anguished, fear-stricken singing and the orchestra's ominous sounds is imbued with profound psychological depth. Here we can witness a new phase in Verdi's music. It will be fascinating to see how the director Lorenzo Mariani brings that world to life on stage.
Great Italian maestro, Carlo Rizzi conducts. I must say he is the perfect choice. Moreover, we have a perfect cast as well. Macbeth will be sung by baritone Ernesto Petti, highly regarded for his portrayal of the role, Lady Macbeth by Karen Gardeazabal, who is quickly establishing a reputation in Italy, Banquo by bass Hidekazu Tsumaya, and Macduff by rising tenor Paride Cataldo. This opera will also showcase the full capabilities of the New National Theatre Chorus.
In addition to these three new productions, we will present our repertory works with an exciting line-up of conductors and singers.
We present Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with an all-Japanese musical team. At the helm is conductor Tetsuro Ban, who has a wealth of experience having conducted for many years at German opera houses. As Figaro, German-based baritone Yoshiaki Kimura makes his NNTT debut. Count Almaviva will be sung by Shingo Sudo, the Countess by Tamayo Yoshida, making her long-anticipated main production debut, Susanna by Kanae Kushima, and Cherubino by Hiroka Yamashita who recently made a sensational house debut as Arato in Hosokawa's Natasha. Enjoy the lively drama performed by these highly accomplished singer/actors.
We will revive our classic production of Puccini's Tosca by director Antonello Madau-Diaz. It is a beautiful and realistic staging in which a Roman church, Scarpia's office, and the sculpture of the Angel overlooking the city of Rome are recreated. It is conducted by the experienced maestro Donato Renzetti. Soprano Carmen Giannattasio makes her NNTT debut in the title role. Cavaradossi will be sung by Saimir Pirgu, who previously delighted us as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore, and his nemesis Scarpia by Dalibor Jenis, who appeared as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
The revival of August Everding's staging of R. Strauss's Salome with the symbolic copper-coloured tent will be conducted by Ryusuke Numajiri, one of Japan's foremost opera conductors, renowned for his passion for Wagner and R. Strauss. Salome will be sung by Hedvig Haugerud, who will also appear as Chrysothemis in Elektra this coming June under my baton. Moreover, Alexandrina Pendatchanska who sang Salome in our previous revival in 2023 will appear this time as Herodias. I am also looking forward to welcoming Peter Tantsits - who created the leading role of Cooper in Dai Fujikura's A Dream of Armageddon in 2020 - as Herodes.
In March, I will conduct the verismo double-bill, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Mascagni/Leoncavallo). The production by Gilbert Deflo is revived for the first time in 13 years. Luciano Ganci and Massimo Cavalletti, who appeared in our 2025/26 season opener La Bohème, will return as Turiddu and Tonio respectively. The exciting line-up also includes Chiara Mogini as Santuzza, Roberto Aronica as Canio, and Eri Nakamura as Nedda. I would also like to point out that the role of Silvio is sung by Toshiaki Komada, who jumped in at short notice as Wozzeck in November 2025 and made a lasting impression on the audience.
In April, we present R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier in the beautiful staging by the legendary director Jonathan Miller. The Marschallin will be sung by Australian soprano Kiandra Howarth, and Baron Ochs by Guido Jentjens, who has collaborated with me in various productions including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Boris Godunov at the NNTT. Octavian will be a groundbreaking role for Japanese mezzo Aya Wakizono. The Japanese singers that make up the rest of the cast include seasoned performers and up-and-coming talent. We are happy to welcome back the young maestro Patrick Hahn, who impressed us in Die Fledermaus in 2023.
We are also happy to stage another Jonathan Miller production in April: his timeless staging of Verdi's comic masterpiece Falstaff. It will be led by maestro Maurizio Benini, whose performance always captures the essence of Italian opera. It is a great pleasure to present Verdi's final opera with Roberto Frontali, the renowned baritone whose Verdi roles at the NNTT includes Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, and Giorgio Germont. The arias and ensembles sung by the prominent cast, in particular the grand ensemble finale "Tutto nel mondo è burla" (Everything in this world is a jest), will surely move your hearts.
Tchaikovsky's masterpiece Eugene Onegin will feature Russian and Slavic singers currently active in Europe. Distinguished Georgian bass Goderdzi Janelidze, who previously portrayed the shady monk Pimen in Boris Godunov, will sing Prince Gremin, who shows profound love for Tatyana. Andriy Yurkevych, whom I have utmost trust in, returns to this production which he conducted in 2019. We are sure that you will savour Tchaikovsky's beautiful music, Dmitry Bertman's subtly depicted seasonal scenery and tragic moments, and the melancholy of time's passage.
We have put considerable thought into each production to ensure our guests enjoy their visit to the New National Theatre Tokyo. We look forward to welcoming you all.
It is our great pleasure to present three new productions for the 2026/27 season: Rossini's Il Turco in Italia, Britten's Peter Grimes, and Verdi's Macbeth.
We open the season with Il Turco in Italia. A co-production of Teatro Real of Madrid and Opéra National de Lyon, it was first staged in Madrid in 2023. Rossini created an enchanting opera out of a farcical romantic comedy involving many characters by providing elegant and witty arias, duets, trios, and a large-scale finale. Don't miss this opportunity as this opera is not so frequently staged.
The production is directed by Laurent Pelly, who is known for his stylish and spiced-up stagings. Many of you may recall his brilliant production of Handel's Giulio Cesare set in a museum in Egypt staged a few years ago. Acclaimed young Italian conductor, Alessandro Bonato makes his NNTT debut. Rising star Claudia Muschio, who made an impressive debut as Amina in our season opening La Sonnambula in 2024, returns as Fiorilla, a role that will bring out her charming and bright presence. Selim will be sung by Giorgi Manoshvili from Georgia, a country that has produced many world-class singers. With Paolo Bordogna, Ruzil Gatin, and Bruno Taddia, we have an unparalleled Rossini cast.
In November, we will stage Benjamin Britten's masterpiece, Peter Grimes. Having studied music from an early age, Britten was influenced by Shostakovich and Schoenberg, but it was Alban Berg with whom he had hoped to study. His subsequent approach, particularly his style of exploring the depths of human psychology in opera, reveals similarities with Berg.
The fisherman Peter Grimes is misunderstood by the villagers for being too blunt and he becomes increasingly alienated from society. But in Acts 2 and 3, it becomes clear that the villagers who mock Grimes are in fact the sick ones. The orchestral interludes that evoke the sea suggest that this is a universal human theme that remains unchanged even as the times change.
The production by the eminent director Robert Carsen received acclaim when it was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in 2023. Renowned tenor Brandon Jovanovich, who sang the role of Grimes at the Scala, reprises the role in Tokyo, and acclaimed British soprano, Sally Matthews sings Ellen. We also have a fine Japanese cast who are all outstanding both vocally and dramatically. Moreover, the chorus plays a central role in this work, so listen out for the scenes featuring our New National Theatre Chorus.
Meanwhile, Verdi's Macbeth closes our season. It is the finest of his early operas and Verdi reportedly said that "Macbeth is one of the greatest creations of Shakespeare, so surely it will not fail." In particular, Lady Macbeth's powerful aria that anticipates the murder of King Duncan that night takes the drama to a new dimension, together with the surging sounds of the orchestra. Meanwhile, Macbeth, having committed numerous murders, becomes tormented by their ghosts; the combination of his anguished, fear-stricken singing and the orchestra's ominous sounds is imbued with profound psychological depth. Here we can witness a new phase in Verdi's music. It will be fascinating to see how the director Lorenzo Mariani brings that world to life on stage.
Great Italian maestro, Carlo Rizzi conducts. I must say he is the perfect choice. Moreover, we have a perfect cast as well. Macbeth will be sung by baritone Ernesto Petti, highly regarded for his portrayal of the role, Lady Macbeth by Karen Gardeazabal, who is quickly establishing a reputation in Italy, Banquo by bass Hidekazu Tsumaya, and Macduff by rising tenor Paride Cataldo. This opera will also showcase the full capabilities of the New National Theatre Chorus.
In addition to these three new productions, we will present our repertory works with an exciting line-up of conductors and singers.
We present Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with an all-Japanese musical team. At the helm is conductor Tetsuro Ban, who has a wealth of experience having conducted for many years at German opera houses. As Figaro, German-based baritone Yoshiaki Kimura makes his NNTT debut. Count Almaviva will be sung by Shingo Sudo, the Countess by Tamayo Yoshida, making her long-anticipated main production debut, Susanna by Kanae Kushima, and Cherubino by Hiroka Yamashita who recently made a sensational house debut as Arato in Hosokawa's Natasha. Enjoy the lively drama performed by these highly accomplished singer/actors.
We will revive our classic production of Puccini's Tosca by director Antonello Madau-Diaz. It is a beautiful and realistic staging in which a Roman church, Scarpia's office, and the sculpture of the Angel overlooking the city of Rome are recreated. It is conducted by the experienced maestro Donato Renzetti. Soprano Carmen Giannattasio makes her NNTT debut in the title role. Cavaradossi will be sung by Saimir Pirgu, who previously delighted us as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore, and his nemesis Scarpia by Dalibor Jenis, who appeared as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
The revival of August Everding's staging of R. Strauss's Salome with the symbolic copper-coloured tent will be conducted by Ryusuke Numajiri, one of Japan's foremost opera conductors, renowned for his passion for Wagner and R. Strauss. Salome will be sung by Hedvig Haugerud, who will also appear as Chrysothemis in Elektra this coming June under my baton. Moreover, Alexandrina Pendatchanska who sang Salome in our previous revival in 2023 will appear this time as Herodias. I am also looking forward to welcoming Peter Tantsits - who created the leading role of Cooper in Dai Fujikura's A Dream of Armageddon in 2020 - as Herodes.
In March, I will conduct the verismo double-bill, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Mascagni/Leoncavallo). The production by Gilbert Deflo is revived for the first time in 13 years. Luciano Ganci and Massimo Cavalletti, who appeared in our 2025/26 season opener La Bohème, will return as Turiddu and Tonio respectively. The exciting line-up also includes Chiara Mogini as Santuzza, Roberto Aronica as Canio, and Eri Nakamura as Nedda. I would also like to point out that the role of Silvio is sung by Toshiaki Komada, who jumped in at short notice as Wozzeck in November 2025 and made a lasting impression on the audience.
In April, we present R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier in the beautiful staging by the legendary director Jonathan Miller. The Marschallin will be sung by Australian soprano Kiandra Howarth, and Baron Ochs by Guido Jentjens, who has collaborated with me in various productions including Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Boris Godunov at the NNTT. Octavian will be a groundbreaking role for Japanese mezzo Aya Wakizono. The Japanese singers that make up the rest of the cast include seasoned performers and up-and-coming talent. We are happy to welcome back the young maestro Patrick Hahn, who impressed us in Die Fledermaus in 2023.
We are also happy to stage another Jonathan Miller production in April: his timeless staging of Verdi's comic masterpiece Falstaff. It will be led by maestro Maurizio Benini, whose performance always captures the essence of Italian opera. It is a great pleasure to present Verdi's final opera with Roberto Frontali, the renowned baritone whose Verdi roles at the NNTT includes Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, and Giorgio Germont. The arias and ensembles sung by the prominent cast, in particular the grand ensemble finale "Tutto nel mondo è burla" (Everything in this world is a jest), will surely move your hearts.
Tchaikovsky's masterpiece Eugene Onegin will feature Russian and Slavic singers currently active in Europe. Distinguished Georgian bass Goderdzi Janelidze, who previously portrayed the shady monk Pimen in Boris Godunov, will sing Prince Gremin, who shows profound love for Tatyana. Andriy Yurkevych, whom I have utmost trust in, returns to this production which he conducted in 2019. We are sure that you will savour Tchaikovsky's beautiful music, Dmitry Bertman's subtly depicted seasonal scenery and tragic moments, and the melancholy of time's passage.
We have put considerable thought into each production to ensure our guests enjoy their visit to the New National Theatre Tokyo. We look forward to welcoming you all.
NEW PRODUCTION
G.Rossini
Il Turco in Italia 2 October - 12 October, 2026
Conductor: Alessandro BONATO
Production and Costume Design: Laurent PELLY
Giorgi MANOSHVILI, Claudia MUSCHIO, Paolo BORDOGNA, Ruzil GATIN, Bruno TADDIA, TAJIMA Yuka, YAMAMOTO Yasuhiro
© Javier del Real | Teatro Real
NEW PRODUCTION G.Rossini
Il Turco in Italia 2 October - 12 October, 2026
Conductor: Alessandro BONATO
Production and Costume Design: Laurent PELLY
Giorgi MANOSHVILI, Claudia MUSCHIO, Paolo BORDOGNA, Ruzil GATIN, Bruno TADDIA, TAJIMA Yuka, YAMAMOTO Yasuhiro
© Javier del Real | Teatro Real
NEW PRODUCTION
B.Britten
Peter Grimes 23 November - 5 December, 2026
Conductor: ONO Kazushi
Production and Lighting Design: Robert CARSEN
Brandon JOVANOVICH, Sally MATTHEWS, Jordan SHANAHAN, Nicole PICCOLOMINI, WATANABE Hitomi, KONNO Sachie, ITOGA Shuhei, KONO Teppei, SAITO Junko, MURAKAMI Kota, YOSHIKAWA Kenichi, OTSUKA Hiroaki
Brescia and Amisano © Teatro alla Scala
NEW PRODUCTION B.Britten
Peter Grimes 23 November - 5 December, 2026
Conductor: ONO Kazushi
Production and Lighting Design: Robert CARSEN
Brandon JOVANOVICH, Sally MATTHEWS, Jordan SHANAHAN, Nicole PICCOLOMINI, WATANABE Hitomi, KONNO Sachie, ITOGA Shuhei, KONO Teppei, SAITO Junko, MURAKAMI Kota, YOSHIKAWA Kenichi, OTSUKA Hiroaki
Brescia and Amisano © Teatro alla Scala
W.A.Mozart
Le Nozze di Figaro 6 December - 12 December, 2026
Conductor: BAN Tetsuro
Production: Andreas HOMOKI
SUDO Shingo, YOSHIDA Tamayo, KIMURA Yoshiaki, KUSHIMA Kanae, YAMASHITA Hiroka, NAKAJIMA Ikuko, TSUMAYA Hidekazu, AOCHI Hideyuki, MIZUNO Yu, HARE Masahiko
G.Puccini
Tosca 28 January - 11 February, 2027
Conductor: Donato RENZETTI
Production: Antonello MADAU-DIAZ
Carmen GIANNATTASIO, Saimir PIRGU, Dalibor JENIS, SAIKI Kenji, USHIRODA Shohei, OKUBO Atsushi, HARE Masahiko
R.Strauss
Salome6 February - 13 February, 2027
Conductor: NUMAJIRI Ryusuke
Production: August EVERDING
Hedvig HAUGERUD, Peter TANTSITS, Alexandrina PENDATCHANSKA, Kostas SMORIGINAS, HAMAMATSU Takayuki, SUGIYAMA Yuki
P.Mascagni
Cavalleria Rusticana
R.Leoncavallo
Pagliacci 6 March - 16 March, 2027
Conductor: ONO Kazushi
Production: Gilbert DEFLO
Chiara MOGINI, GOKE Akiko, Luciano GANCI, SUDO Shingo, TANIGUCHI Mutsumi,
Roberto ARONICA, NAKAMURA Eri, Massimo CAVALLETTI, SAWAHARA Takamasa, KOMADA Toshiaki
R.Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier 2 April - 11 April, 2027
Conductor: Patrick HAHN
Production: Jonathan MILLER
Kiandra HOWARTH, Guido JENTJENS, WAKIZONO Aya, YONASHIRO Kei, TANETANI Noriko, WATANABE Hitomi, ITO Tatsundo, FUJII Asami, KONO Teppei, HARE Masahiko, AOCHI Hideyuki, HAMAMATSU Takayuki
G.Verdi
Falstaff 21 April - 29 April, 2027
Conductor: Maurizio BENINI
Production: Jonathan MILLER
Roberto FRONTALI, Ricardo JOSÉ RIVERA, MURAKAMI Kota, MURAKAMI Toshiaki, ITOGA Shuhei, TSUMAYA Hidekazu, Serena FARNOCCHIA, SUNADA Airi, Teresa IERVOLINO, KOBAYASHI Yuka
P.Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin 16 May - 23 May, 2027
Conductor: Andriy YURKEVYCH
Production: Dmitry BERTMAN
Kristina MKHITARYAN, Andrey ZHILIKHOVSKY, Pavel VALUZHIN, Margarita GRITSKOVA, Goderdzi JANELIDZE, SAITO Junko, HASHIZUME Yuka
P.Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin 16 May - 23 May, 2027
Conductor: Andriy YURKEVYCH
Production: Dmitry BERTMAN
Kristina MKHITARYAN, Andrey ZHILIKHOVSKY, Pavel VALUZHIN, Margarita GRITSKOVA, Goderdzi JANELIDZE, SAITO Junko, HASHIZUME Yuka
NEW PRODUCTION
G.Verdi
Macbeth 30 June - 18 July, 2027
Conductor: Carlo RIZZI
Production: Lorenzo MARIANI
Ernesto PETTI, Karen GARDEAZABAL, TSUMAYA Hidekazu, Paride CATALDO, MURAKAMI Kota, TANIGUCHI Mutsumi , KUBOTA Masumi
NEW PRODUCTION G.Verdi
Macbeth 30 June - 18 July, 2027
Conductor: Carlo RIZZI
Production: Lorenzo MARIANI
Ernesto PETTI, Karen GARDEAZABAL, TSUMAYA Hidekazu, Paride CATALDO, MURAKAMI Kota, TANIGUCHI Mutsumi, KUBOTA Masumi
Immerse Yourself in the Theatre Space:
Pre and Post-Performance Delights
The NNTT strives to not only put on high-quality performances but also to ensure the overall quality of the theatre experience.
Restaurant and Buffet
At the NNTT, you can enjoy a buffet in the foyer before the performance and during intermissions. Don't miss the opportunity to try the special menu items inspired by the repertoire. You can also visit the Maestro restaurant on the 3rd floor of the theatre where you can sample authentic Italian cuisine. Sharing your expectations or impressions from a performance while savouring good food makes for a perfect day at the theatre.
Theatre Shop
As soon as you enter through the entrance on the 1st floor, you will notice the theatre shop. Here, you can purchase commemorative items such as performance photos and original merchandise from the NNTT.
Hatsudai Art Loft and Information Centre
At the main entrance on the 1st floor and the galleries on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the NNTT, you can enjoy the free exhibition called "Hatsudai Art Loft," which showcases costumes and props from our productions. It provides a rare opportunity to appreciate the costumes and props up close and to experience the entire theatre space as an art form.
In addition, on the 5th floor, the Information Centre provides access to various resources related to the performances, including books, programmes, and sheet music. Visitors can browse materials and watch performances by the NNTT using tablets, video booths, and as video projections.
