Aichi Arts Center’s performing arts division, Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, announces its 2025-2026 season programme

Aichi Prefectural Art Theater Artistic Director Eri Karatsu (Photo credit: Tatsuo Nambu)

My name is Eri Karatsu, and I have been appointed as Artistic Director of Aichi Prefectural Art Theater since this April.  

I envision Aichi Prefectural Art Theater to be a “plaza for the people of the prefecture,” a space that can easily be accessed by local communities. At the same time, I hope our theatre becomes a “window to the world,” a gateway to witness and experience diverse range of worlds. 

Today, with the development of the Internet and technology, it seems as if we can easily connect ourselves with the rest of the world; however, I feel that there are fewer opportunities to feel one’s embodied reality and to experience life with a sense of affirmation. We believe that the performing arts, where performers and audience members can interact with each other by sharing the same place and time, is an important space for people to feel a real sense of life, which is precisely why it is so important today. 

The World of 5 Pianos Piano Zirkus in Aichi Prefectural Art Theater

In 2025, we present Jungle Book reimagined, a fusion of dance and animation. This famous animated film, believed to be Walt Disney’s last, has been transformed into a stage production that can be enjoyed by all, from children to adults. The production is directed and choreographed by Akram Khan, who also choreographed the opening of the London Olympics. This fusion of entertainment and art is a symbol of the future of Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, which hopes to attract as many people as possible to its performances. 

Furthermore, we will launch a new programme, AICHI NEXT: Performing Arts Project, an open call aimed at discovering and nurturing young artists. We are calling for innovative works that cross over existing boundaries and offer new ideas and will support these projects by offering opportunities for them to be presented. 

In addition to increasing the number of performances that are free for those under 18 years of age, we will also introduce free programmes that can be casually attended, introduce subtitles to enhance accessibility and make other efforts to bring in a wide variety of people. 

We will continue our efforts to become a plaza for everyone in the coming year. 

We look forward to seeing you at Aichi Prefectural Art Theater.  

Eri Karatsu 

Aichi Prefectural Art Theater x Dance Base Yokohama Performing Arts Selection 2025 (Photo from Can’t-Sleeper (2023) | Photo credit: Naoshi HATORI)

Dance Jury’s Dance (Photo from Toshiki Okada x Hana Sakai The Dying Swan / The Dying Swan & Its Cause of Death | Photo credit: Naoshi HATORI)