Tokyo is home to world-class orchestras, exceptional singers and superior technical capabilities, establishing itself as one of the world’s premier classical music cities. The 2025–2026 season highlights this strength with a dynamic mix of tradition and innovation.
A major highlight is Wagner’s “Der fliegende Hollaender” (“The Flying Dutchman”), presented as the centerpiece of the third year of the Tokyo Opera Days campaign launched by the Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation in 2023.
Also featured are the world premiere of the new opera “Natasha,” the first revival in five years of “M,” choreographed and directed by Maurice Bejart, and subscription concerts by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra under chief conductor Kahchun Wong. A new opera in collaboration with the Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden, adds international creative energy.
Together, these events form an extraordinary season that showcases the city’s position among top-tier cultural destinations.
‘Natasha’ presented by the New National Theatre Tokyo
In this opera, displaced migrant Natasha encounters youth Arato in a haunting journey through landscapes from sea to forest. Guided by a mysterious Mephistopheles figure, they view scenes of the “Seven Hells” caused by human desire.
This multilingual world premiere — performed in Japanese, German and Ukrainian — examines our universal search for belonging amid suffering and redemption.
With music by leading contemporary composer Toshio Hosokawa, “Natasha” will premiere at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Artistic Director Kazushi Ono, former music director of La Monnaie in Brussels and chief conductor of the Lyon Opera, commissioned this profound work, with a libretto by celebrated bilingual author Yoko Tawada. Hosokawa delivers a powerful meditation on contemporary displacement while demonstrating Japan’s commitment to innovative operatic storytelling.
Performance schedule: Aug. 11 (Mon.) 2 p.m., 13 (Wed.) 2 p.m., 15 (Fri.) 6:30 p.m., 17 (Sun.) 2 p.m.
Venue: New National Theatre, Tokyo
URL: https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/productions/opera/natasha.html
Japan Philharmonic Subscription Concert
The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2026. Chief conductor Kahchun Wong continues his acclaimed Mahler series, presenting the complex Symphony No. 6 (“Tragic”) with its particularly intriguing interpretive challenges.
The young maestro’s approach to these distinctive compositional elements will offer compelling insights. Other performances feature Akira Ifukube’s “SF Symphony Fantasy No. 1,” bringing the iconic Godzilla melody into the concert hall.
Wong demonstrates his commitment to both international masterworks and Japanese composers throughout the season. This season marks a historic shift from the September-to-July schedule to April-to-March, beginning in 2026. As a transitional season, it heightens anticipation for the orchestra’s anniversary celebration.
Performance schedule: Tokyo: Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m.; Yokohama: Saturdays at 3 p.m.
Venue: Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall (Yokohama)
Note: The 2025-2026 season features six performances each in Tokyo and Yokohama.
URL: https://japanphil.or.jp/en
Tokyo Opera Days
Marking the final year of this iteration of Tokyo Opera Days, this festival is headlined by Wagner’s “Der fliegende Hollaender” (“The Flying Dutchman”), conducted by Toshiyuki Kamioka. A rich lineup of events will unfold throughout the festival, offering something for everyone — from devoted opera fans to curious newcomers and international visitors alike. Highlights include English-interpreted backstage tours that offer exclusive production insights that bring audiences closer to the magic behind the scenes.
Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of opera and the spirit of autumn.
TOKYO OPERA DAYS: Sept. 6 (Sat.) to 15 (Mon.)
• Tokyo Nikikai Opera Theatre’s “Der fliegende Hollaender”
Performance schedule: Sept. 11 (Thur.) 6 p.m., 13 (Sat.) 2 p.m., 14 (Sun.) 2 p.m., 15 (Mon.) 2 p.m.
Venue: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
• Other events: Tokyo Music Competition winners’ concert; Classical Music in Town “Machinaka Concerts”; Let’s Sing on the Stage Like an Opera Singer; backstage tour with English translation and many more.
URL: https://nikikai.jp/en/lineup/hollander2025/
‘M’ presented by the NBS-Japan Performing Arts Foundation
In this centennial year of Yukio Mishima’s birth, his spirits lives on through “M.” Ballet choreographer Maurice Bejart’s masterpiece, created with revolutionary dancing for the Tokyo Ballet, returns after five years, bringing together all principal dancers on stage.
The title “M” symbolizes Mishima, mer (sea), metamorphose (transformation), mort (death), mystere (mystery) and mythologie (mythology) — embodying his life philosophy and aesthetic principles. Masterworks of Mishima literature, including “The Sound of Waves” and “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion,” come to life on stage, enchanting literary fans.
Since its 1993 premiere, Bejart’s creation has been acclaimed at prestigious venues worldwide. This vibrant world is where Mishima’s soul comes alive through dance.
Performance schedule: Sept. 20 (Sat.) 2 p.m., 21 (Sun.) 2 p.m., 23 (Tue.) 1 p.m.
Venue: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
URL: https://www.nbs.or.jp/english/stages/2025/m/top.html
Tokyo Nikikai Opera Theatre with Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden: ‘Cavalleria Rusticana,’ ‘Pagliacci’
Blood, passion and jealousy culminate in opera’s most explosive double bill as the Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation partners with the Royal Opera House for the first time.
This new production pairs Pietro Mascagni’s beloved “Cavalleria Rusticana” with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s iconic “Pagliacci” — the legendary “Cav-Pag” combination that defines Italian verismo opera at its most intense. Renowned Italian maestro Andrea Battistoni leads the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, where he serves as principal conductor, delivering passionate performances that capture the raw emotional power of these masterworks. Acclaimed director Damiano Michieletto brings innovative staging to this tale of love, betrayal and revenge that unfolds in one evening. This historic partnership showcases Tokyo’s growing prominence in global opera.
Performance schedule: Feb.12 (Thur.) 6 p.m., 13 (Fri.) 2 p.m., 14 (Sat.) 2 p.m., 15 (Sun.) 2 p.m.
Venue: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
