Tokyo's 2025 cultural calendar is brimming with artistry, from the playful operatic tales of 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' to the evocative symphonies of Beethoven and Strauss. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra stands at the heart of this artistic celebration, presenting a medley of operatic, orchestral, and ballet performances. Highlights include a unique 1960s Spanish twist on Rossini's classic opera, the enchanting ballet adaptation of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', and a series of distinguished concerts featuring both timeless classics and contemporary interpretations.

A Cultural Symphony: Tokyo's Diverse Artistic Offerings in 2025

Embark on a melodious journey as the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra presents a series of diverse and captivating concerts throughout the summer of 2025. From Tchaikovsky's masterpieces to innovative operatic compositions, these events promise to bring the timeless beauty of orchestral music to life. Featuring renowned violinists, conductors, and a mix of classical and contemporary works, this season's lineup is a testament to the orchestra's artistic prowess and commitment to musical excellence.

A Symphony of Seasons: Tokyo Philharmonic's 2025 Concerts

The New National Theatre in Tokyo is set to host a remarkable series of opera and ballet performances featuring iconic works like 'La Traviata', 'Raymonda', and 'Swan Lake'. This season, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra brings to life the stories of love, tragedy, and triumph with an array of talented performers from around the globe. From the tragic fate of Violetta in Verdi's masterpiece to the enchanting choreography of Petipa's ballet, each event promises an unforgettable experience for all attendees.

Tokyo's Opera and Ballet Extravaganza: A Season of Artistic Masterpieces

Tokyo's New National Theatre is set to host a captivating lineup of operatic and ballet masterpieces, from Verdi's timeless 'La Traviata' to Tchaikovsky's enchanting 'Swan Lake,' all brought to life by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Featuring leading performers like Carolina López Moreno and Charles Castronovo, and innovative productions by directors like Cesare Lievi, this season promises to be a cultural feast. Join us as we delve into the stories, music, and artistry that define these iconic performances and explore the creative genius behind each production.

Exploring the Splendor: A Journey Through Tokyo's Premier Opera and Ballet Performances

The 1032nd Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

ARK Hills

The production that opened the 2021/2022 Season to much acclaim now returns to this season. This production by Sir Peter Wright is a stately work, full of dramatic elements that are very British. We trust you will enjoy this production of Swan Lake, combining the traditional charm of classic ballet with a new sense of drama.

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Swan Lake

New National Theatre

Goethe's classic "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers (The Sorrows of Young Werther)", an eighteenth-century novel depicting the anguish of love and heartbreak, has been read all over the world. Composed over a century after the novel, Jules Massenet's opera Werther adds French romantic passion to Goethe's text, bringing it even closer to the heart. The work has many memorable moments, from the dramatic overture to Charlotte's "Air des lettres" and Werther's soulful aria "Porquoi me réveiller?" The staging by Nicolas JOEL, first seen in 2016, faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the original story and places the focus on Werther's sentiments.

Werther

"L'elisir d'amore" is a masterpiece by Gaetano DONIZETTI, best known for his bel canto operas. It is the story of Nemorino, a youth who hears the story of how a potion made Tristan und Isolde fall in love and sets out to woo Adina, the most beautiful woman in the village. The music itself directly conveys the characters of Nemorino, the lead character, unable to convey his love as he feels it, and of Adina whose heart is in a tumult for love. At every turn we get a real feel for DONIZETTI's skill, such as in the supreme musical moment in the opera when Nemorino sings "Una furtiva lagrima", or in the bright and distinctive Sergeant Belcore, the villain of the piece, or in Dr. Dulcamara's witty personality. The lively voice of the chorus further rouses the mood on stage. This production by Cesare LIEVI (first staged in 2009) saw the appearance of props like a 9-meter-long book and huge letters of the alphabet, and an actual-size small airplane, earning it a reputation for playfulness and on-the-mark psychological portrayals.

L'elisir d'amore

This is a classic ballet which takes place in the age of Crusades, and it features possibly the last great choreography by Marius Petipa, and beautiful music composed by Alexander Glazunov. At NNTT, this classic masterpiece "Raymonda" was produced anew in October 2004. Asami Maki's intricate choreography and interpretation, modern and brisk staging, and Luisa Spinatelli's effective use of colors, costumes, and devices were all well received and it won the Asahi Performing Arts Award that year. This production was also invited to Japan Festival at the Kennedy Center in February 2008.

Raymonda

La Traviata is set in the world of Parisian high society. This popular opera tells the story of the courtesan, Violetta Valéry: her loves and her sad fate. It is based on the dramatic adaptation of the romantic novel, "La Dame aux Camélias" by Alexandre Dumas fils, modeled by the author on the high-class mistress, Marie Duplessis. Giuseppe Verdi then took the story, making its heroine a contemporary woman, and writing an innovative opera in which he raised the role of the music itself to that of expressing the story's emotions. Starting with "Libiamo ne' lieti calici", which has become a well-known, staple tune of gala concerts, the work features numerous other famous songs, such as Violetta's most technically demanding aria, "Ah, fors'è lui-sempre libera", in the prelude foretelling tragedy, and Germont's "Di Provenza il mar, il suol".

La Traviata

The Nutcracker is a winter tradition at the New National Theatre Tokyo -- a long-beloved work evolving through different versions over the years since the theatre first opened. In the 2025/2026 Season, English choreographer Will Tuckett has created an original new production for the New National Theatre Tokyo. Developing not only in ballet but also in theatre and cross-genre works mixing various other artistic forms, Will Tuckett has won numerous awards, including an Olivier Award, and is globally active. This is the second work that he has created for the National Ballet of Japan, following the world premiere of The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2023. Together with Colin Richmond, the set and costume designer who also worked on The Tragedy of Macbeth, Tuckett creates a sweet and colourful world for The Nutcracker. We hope that you will enjoy this special event, set to be a new holiday tradition perfect for celebrating the Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day season.

The Nutcracker

With direction, choreography, set and costume design and lighting by Teshigawara Saburo, a dancer whose impeccable aesthetic sense has captivated audiences worldwide, this production of Orfeo ed Euridice once again brings to life a hauntingly beautiful world merging opera and dance. This intense and dynamic production shifting between life and death, between light and darkness, won the hearts of not only opera and dance fans but of art lovers everywhere. The broadcast of this production on OperaVision after the theatre performance has also generated considerable interest.

Orpheus and Eurydice

The 107th Holiday Afternoon Concert

Tokyo Opera City Tower

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra Europe Tour 2025

De Singel

Palau de la Música Catalana

LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura

Wiener Konzerthaus

Berliner Philharmonie

Müpa Budapest

The 174th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

A much-loved repertoire of the National Ballet of Japan. This production, choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton, is among the best of many "Cinderella" ballets, and has been performed by the Royal Ballet and other leading ballet companies around the world. It is a valuable repertoire for the National Ballet of Japan, the only ballet company in Japan to have it in its repertoire. The audience will be entranced by this production of Cinderella; the fairies of the four seasons dancing to the music of Sergei Prokofiev, the amazing transformation when Cinderella's magic spell wears off at the stroke of midnight and the humorous portrayal of the ugly step-sisters.

Cinderella

The 1025th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 28th Shibuya Afternoon Concert

Bunkamura

The 40th Weekday Afternoon Concert

The 1024th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

Set in 19th century Paris, this opera depicts the pure love of the poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimì, and the impoverished yet free spirit of young artists with dreams of future success. This romantic story is interwoven with dulcet melodies typical of Puccini. The scene featuring the famous arias "Che gelida manina" and "Mi chiamano Mimì" stands out among many operas as a beautiful scene of love. This production is packed with highlights, including the bustling Quartier Latin on the Christmas, the beautiful yet sorrowful vocal quartet of the lovers on their decision to part ways, and the moving final scene. The stage design is a portrayal resembling real Paris from the time, a major feat by director Jun Aguni . The psychological characterizations carefully woven throughout each act are deeply evocative.

La Bohème

The 106th Holiday Afternoon Concert

The 1023rd Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

The 173rd Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 1022nd Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

Heartful Concert in 2025

This new opera work by Hosokawa Toshio is staged as the third in Artistic Director Ono's series of commissioned works from Japanese composers. Hosokawa Toshio is a leading composer of contemporary music who has created commissioned work for the world's major orchestras, musical festivals and opera houses. Natasha is the first opera by Hosokawa to be staged at the NNTT since Matsukaze in 2018, as well as his second opera to be world premiered by Ono Kazushi, the first being Hanjo, commissioned by the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, in 2004.

Natasha

The 105th Holiday Afternoon Concert

Festa Summer MUZA KAWASAKI 2025

MUZA Kawasaki

The 39th Weekday Afternoon Concert

The 27th Shibuya Afternoon Concert

The 104th Holiday Afternoon Concert

The 1021st Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

The 172nd Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 1020th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 171st Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 1019th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 1018th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

Based on "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by the famous British author Lewis Carroll. This production premiered at the Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom in 2011, enabled by a prominent line-up of artists, including British horeographer Christopher Wheeldon, film and television music composer Joby Talbot, and multiple award-winning designer, Bob Crowley. It has swept the world and become part of the repertoire of the world's leading ballet companies. In Japan, the only ballet company with permission to perform this piece is the National Ballet of Japan. We trust you will enjoy this wonderfully entertaining and artistic work.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland© by Christopher Wheeldon

The 38th Weekday Afternoon Concert

The 26th Shibuya Afternoon Concert

The witty story development and enjoyable, lyrical vocal performances make this opera Rossini's most popular work. The exhilarating love story unfolds with the action of Figaro eventually making the match between the sheltered Rosina and Il Conte d'Almaviva. The spectacular music includes the famous opening overture that bursts into a Rossini Crescendo, Figaro's "Largo al factotum" ("Make way for the handyman"), in which the barber goes on about his pride, and Rosina's cavatina about love, "Una voce poco fa" ("A voice a while back"), famous for coloraturas. The production by Josef E. Köpplinger is set in Francoist Spain in the late 1960s.The comedy unfolds based on the delicate balance of power and vice, with the pop, kitsch mood of the 1960s expressed through colourful art.

Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Bunkyo Civic Hall Symphonic Series Vol. 83

Bunkyo Civic Center

2021/2022 Season will open with a new production of the bel canto opera masterpiece, "La Cenerentola". This opera buffa is one of the most admired piece by the Italian greatest composer Gioachino ROSSINI, and is an opera version of the familiar Cinderella story. This masterpiece is brimming with all the appeal of the composer, from the delightful ensembles and the richly ornate arias to the swelling climax with agilita. Angelina's aria "Naqui all'affano, al pianto" in the final act is a magnificent mezzo-soprano aria and is often performed on its own.</p>
<p>The production is directed by AGUNI Jun, one of the best directors at interpreting Italian operas. The title role of Angelina is performed by WAKIZONO Aya, who is based in Italy and whose talent further blossoms with the passing of the years. Don Ramiro is performed by the talented Rossini singer René BARBERA, who appeared with WAKIZONO in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" in 2020. In the role of Don Magnifico is the famous basso-buffo, Alessandro CORBELLI, while Alidoro is performed by Gabriele SAGONA, who has been acclaimed for many bel canto roles. Expectations are high for this sparkling ensemble. Bel Canto opera has been becoming a popular genre at NNTT year by year, and "La Cenerentola" conveys the sheer pleasure of opera as it opens the new season.

La Cenerentola

Opera Palace

This special programme is for the enjoyment of children and grownups alike. Witness the birth of a new opera, performed by Alter 3, an android with artificial life who makes friends with children in the chorus as they sing and perform together. This opera brings together an android and children, professional opera singers and the New National Theatre Chorus, ballet dancers and orchestra and video and design, inviting us into a world of coexistence and technology.

Super Angels

The 1033rd Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

Elektra is a story of gruesome revenge. A daughter of the blood-soaked House of Atreus, Elektra burns with a blind passion for revenge and takes her own life after achieving her greatest wish. This opera condenses the Greek tragic drama from Sophocles into a one-act drama. Featuring what could be called one of the densest orchestrations in opera history as well as dramatically soaring soprano lines, the music conveys a dizzying array of powerful emotions--tension, hate, fear, joy and ecstasy--with superb elegance.

Elektra

The 30th Shibuya Afternoon Concert

The 1034th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 1035th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

The 175th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 176th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

Festa Summer MUZA KAWASAKI 2026

The 1036th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

The 41st Weekday Afternoon Concert

Heartful Concert in 2026

Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi Park

The 31st Shibuya Afternoon Concert

The 108th Holiday Afternoon Concert

The premiere performance of Rossini's opera buffa Il Turco in Italia at the New National Theatre, Tokyo. A tangled love affair develops through a series of ensembles as a complex cast of characters take the stage, including a playboy Turkish prince, a straight-laced husband being toyed with by his coquettish wife and the Turkish prince's former lover.

Il Turco in Italia

The 109th Holiday Afternoon Concert

The 42nd Weekday Afternoon Concert

The 1037th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 177th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 1038th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

This production presents the world premiere of a ballet based on City Lights, the classic comedy film created--directed, written, produced, and performed--by Charles Chaplin, the beloved "King of Comedy" who produced countless masterpieces in the early days of cinema.

City Lights /New Commissioned Work by the NBJ World Premiere | New National Theatre, Tokyo

The 1039th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

The 178th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

One of the most renowned works from famous British composer Benjamin Britten. Set in a fishing village on the east coast of England, this is the story of a lonely fisherman, Peter Grimes, suspected of killing his young apprentice. It offers an intensely emotional depiction of isolation and group mentalities, hope and despair.

Peter Grimes

The 110th Holiday Afternoon Concert

The 32nd Shibuya Afternoon Concert

A prominent Mozart opera. This opera buffa masterpiece unfolds around the story of the Count and the Countessa Almaviva, their servant Figaro, Figaro's betrothed Susanna and the count's page Cherubino.

Le Nozze di Figaro

The 43rd Weekday Afternoon Concert

Acclaimed english choreographer Will Tuckett created an original new production of The Nutcracker for the National Ballet of Japan in the 2025/2026 season. Developing not only in ballet but also in theatre and cross-genre works mixing various other artistic forms, Tuckett has won numerous awards, notably an Olivier Award, and is globally active. Together with creative team of widely recognized artists such as the designer Colin Richmond, his Nutcracker is full of authentic beauty of classical ballet in a sweet and colourful world full of wit and charm. The auditorium was full every evening, with huge applause for this enchanting world. This much-loved production returns to our next holiday season. We hope that you will enjoy this special event, a new holiday tradition perfect for celebrating the Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year.

The 1040th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 179th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 44th Weekday Afternoon Concert

The 180th Subscription Concert in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall

The 1041st Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

The 111th Holiday Afternoon Concert

This masterpiece is set in high society Vienna, and portrays in elegant and exquisite music about memories of times gone by and of young, new love. Master director Jonathan Miller excels at detailed character portrayal, and in moving the action from that pinnacle of aristocratic culture, 18th century Vienna, to 1912, which is one year after the first staging of "Der Rosenkavalier", he has the work impart a sense of the vicissitudes of time that audiences at the time would have experienced. Those who appeared on stage then, as well as the famous duo of composer (Richard Strauss) and librettist (Hugo von Hofmannsthal) all lived in an age over which the darkening clouds of strife were gathering, on the brink of war. The wise Marschallin sings that "she wants to stop the clock", and in doing so feels not only the relentless encroachment of age and resignation at having parted from her young lover, but a sense, too, of a generational shift.

Der Rosenkavalier

Falstaff is a comedy written by opera great Giuseppe Verdi near the end of his life, based on Shakespeare's famous plays "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Henry IV". A masterpiece brimming with unrivalled fun and life philosophy, the story centres on the greedy but lovable old knight Falstaff and his interactions with a group of lively, quick-witted women and young couples. Musically, the work was very progressive at that time, with finely crafted pieces full of excitement, including the nonet in Act 1 and Fuga Finale, featuring ten soloists and a chorus. In particular, Falstaff's show-stopping fugue finale 'Tutto nel mundo è burla' is the perfect end to the evening, and has become a regular feature at gala concerts and other events.

Falstaff

This is a masterpiece by Sir Kenneth MACMILLAN, one of the most influential British choreographers of the 20th century. It was first performed in 1965 by the Royal Ballet. The dramatic choreography expresses the psychology of the characters in careful detail, expanding the possibilities of ballet. Sergei PROKOFIEV's dramatic and colourful music combined with Sir Kenneth's choreography draw out the depth of tragedy from the original story by SHAKESPEARE. First performed by the National Ballet of Japan in October 2001, it has become a significant repertoire that has been performed many times over. The dramatic ballet demands high levels of both technique and inner expression; you can set your expectations high for this love story woven by our dancers.

Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet

Tchaikovsky's romantic opera Eugene Onegin, the first Russian opera produced under artistic director Kazushi Ono's policy of performing a wider range of repertoire, returns to the New National Theatre Tokyo. Based on Alexander Pushkin's original work, the dignified story is conveyed with Tchaikovsky's unique lyricism, for a masterpiece sure to move the hearts of all. It also features numerous popular numbers often performed as stand-alone pieces, such as the Letter Aria, 'Kuda, kuda, vi udalilis' and a spectacular polonaise.

Eugene Onegin

This ballet, brimming with fun and vitality, is based on an episode from Cervantes' Don Quixote. It is a love story featuring the barber, Basilio, and the town girl, Kitri, which unfolds in bright, cheerful Barcelona.This popular program piece offers the beauty of classical ballet and character dancing in a rich variety of forms. Enjoy the full panoply of dramatic dance: Spanish dancing, with its distinctive accents, by bedazzlingly clad matadors and the girls of the town; the beautiful corps de ballet dancing in scenes from Don Quixote's dreams; and the final pas de deux danced with the utmost skill by the lovers in the final act. The National Ballet of Japan presents its rich line-up of soloists and its highly recognized corps de ballet in this much-loved classical work.

Don Quixote

Performing a new production of ardent Shakespeare-devotee Verdi's early-period iconic opera, Macbeth. A commemorative work that breaks new ground as a dramatic opera and features sinister music full of dramatic suspense, this stately opera depicts the psychology of Lord and Lady Macbeth--pushing the ambition, suspicion, scheming and confusion arising from a fateful prophecy to their ultimate limits.

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

Jun 21, 2026

The 1033rd Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

Jun 29 - Jul 12, 2026

Elektra

Jul 5, 2026

The 30th Shibuya Afternoon Concert

Jul 23, 2026

The 1034th Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

Jul 26, 2026

The 1035th Subscription Concert in Bunkamura Orchard Hall

Jun 18, 2026

The 1032nd Subscription Concert in Suntory Hall

5 - 14 Jun, 2026

Swan Lake

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