We are delighted to announce the 2026/2027 Season Opera at the New National Theatre Tokyo.

10 Productions in Total including 3 New Productions

• Il Turco in ItaliaNew Production
  
• Peter Grimes New Production
  
• Le Nozze di Figaro
• Tosca
• Salome
• Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci
• Der Rosenkavalier
• Falstaff
• Eugene Onegin
• Macbeth New Production
  
  

Message from Kazushi Ono, Artistic Director of Opera

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.