Hirofumi Yoshida, 45, said he could feel Italian opera blending with Japanese spirituality when he conducted two new short works at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in October.
"I felt that the history of opera, which I believe is a symbol of Western art, and Japanese spirituality symbolized by Kiyomizu Temple, were harmonizing," said Yoshida, a conductor based in the Italian city of Bologna.
On Oct. 23, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna orchestra performed with opera singers in the main hall of Kiyomizu, instead of on the temple's famous open stage, Kiyomizu no Butai, because of rain.