World Premiere of NATASHA at New National Theatre Tokyo

The Earth’s Groans Echo in Tokyo —
A Multilingual Opera of Crisis and Conscience

This summer, Tokyo becomes the heartbeat of a global artistic renaissance. At the New National Theatre Tokyo, the world premiere of Natasha—a new opera by celebrated composer Toshio Hosokawa—will be far more than a performance. It is a visceral experience, a journey into the fractured soul of the 21st century, and a testament to the power of art to confront our deepest crises.

Natasha is a genre-defying opera that fuses myth and political allegory to explore the ecological, social, and spiritual hells of our time. Two wanderers—Arato, a seeker of meaning, and Natasha, a refugee from a nameless land—descend through seven modern “hells” in search of truth. Their enigmatic guide? The grandson of Mephistopheles, who strips away illusions and exposes the madness of a world in collapse.

Yet, in the midst of chaos, Natasha reveals something breathtakingly beautiful.

Librettist Yoko Tawada, renowned for her multilingual and boundary-defying prose, has crafted a text that dissolves the barriers between languages and cultures. Sung, spoken, and whispered in over a dozen tongues—from Japanese and German to Ukrainian, English, Portuguese and Chinese—the libretto becomes an ever-shifting landscape of voices. Meaning shimmers in the spaces between words, where language becomes music itself: emotive, dissonant, and profoundly human.

Hosokawa’s score expands on his signature style—melding Japanese aesthetics with Western classical forms—and pushes it into new realms. Lush harmonies give way to whispered choruses, plastic instruments, and protest-like sonic collages. One moment, you are immersed in haunting beauty; the next, you are swept into the clamor of a world in upheaval.

The cast is nothing short of extraordinary. Belgian soprano Ilse Eerens brings fierce vulnerability to the title role, while rising Japanese mezzo-soprano Hiroka Yamashita imbues Arato with raw emotional depth. German baritone Christian Miedl, as the Mephistophelian trickster, commands the stage with unsettling magnetism. And at the helm is conductor Kazushi Ono, celebrated for his fearless embrace of the new and the vital.

But Natasha is more than an opera. It is an invitation—to feel, to question, to connect. In a world that too often speaks past itself, Natasha asks: can dissonance become harmony? Can we find meaning in the fragments? This is not just an opera for opera lovers—it is for anyone who feels the tremors of the modern world and seeks meaning through art. Let this echo move you. Let it matter.

Special AAPPAC Member Campaign

For AAPPAC member theatre professionals only: Apply by 15 July 2025 and you will be invited to attend the performance on Friday, 15 August at 18:30 as our guest (subject to availability). Please note that this invitation includes only the performance ticket, and does not cover transportation or accommodation expenses.

Please include 1) your full name, 2) professional title, 3) the name of your organization, 4) number of attendees (up to two people) and 5) a note stating that ‘you are applying for Natasha invitation after reading this AAPPAC Newsletter’ in your email to opera09@nntt.jac.go.jp. As the subject of the email, please write “Natasha Application”.

We will adjust the number of invitations based on the applications received. If applications exceed available seats, we will conduct a lottery and notify all applicants of their results by 18 July.

Tickets for the general public are on sale now. Don’t miss this landmark moment in contemporary opera. https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/productions/opera/natasha.html

PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES
11 August 2025 at 14:00
13 August 2025 at 14:00
15 August 2025 at 18:30
17 August 2025 at 14:00

VENUE: New National Theatre Tokyo, Opera Palace
TICKETS: S-Yen26,400 / A-Yen22,000 / B-Yen15,400 / C-Yen9,900 / D-Yen6,600 / Z-(Day tickets) Yen1,650