When it comes to opera my knowledge doesn’t really go too far beyond ‘Nessun Dorma‘ and a few other notable songs in popular culture which have featured in films or been used in TV montages during major sporting events like the Olympics and the World Cup. However, that changed a little bit recently when my wife and I attended a local opera performance featuring the only soprano singer I know!

Charlie’s Angels!

Up until the end of March, I taught English every week to a wonderful young soprano singer who was great fun and easy to get on with. I often asked Ayako about her performances but probably didn’t really expect to ever see one. However, when it was time to say goodbye to her at my school, we followed each other on social media which led to me discovering she was performing a few weeks later.

Ayako Ota, Yuko Kaji & Ayane Tsuzuki

Miraculously there were no football or rugby matches in my schedule on that particular Sunday (April 19th) so on a sunny afternoon we made the short train journey along the Seibu Ikebukuro line to Oizumigakuen station where the Musica Pino studio was located just a few minutes away on foot.

My wife and I have been to a few music concerts in recent years including pop, rock and classical but this was the first time to experience any kind of opera together. However, I once saw the UK tenor Russell Watson at a live concert at Auckland Domain (New Zealand) in early February 2002 so I’m certainly no stranger to such music! Will it be another 24 years before I watch an opera performance again?!

The lady on the promotional flyer seemed like a different person to the one I know that turned up each week to lessons in jeans and a sweater! Indeed, when we walked into the studio, I didn’t recognise the glamorous lady in the beautiful, long dress who was mingling with some of the audience. It was only when she greeted me that I realised it was who I’d come to see!

The Italian-themed performance began at 1:30 pm and was a fairly casual affair with a lot of talking about the stories each song represents as the two singers (Ayako Ota and Yuko Kaji) sang one or two songs each before switching roles. There was also a rendition of ‘Via resti servita, madama brilliante‘ as a duet between the two which was interesting and fun to watch and listen to even though I had absolutely no idea what they were singing.

After about eight songs the first half drew to a close with the pianist Ayane Tzuzuki playing a harpsichord solo of a French song known as ‘Oh! Shall I tell you, Mama‘ in English. It turned out that this tune is actually what many people simply know as ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star‘!

During the break I thought it was a bit strange that some of the audience members were already taking photos of the three performers, so I thought I’d get one then too. I then discovered that they’d all be changing outfits before the second part so some people like to have pictures of the artists in both dresses.

The second part was more of the same in terms of the Italian connection but maybe slightly shorter in length. I can’t pretend to really know anything about opera but I can certainly appreciate such performance art. I was maybe more worried throughout the act that someone would walk in from the street mid-song and potentially disrupt things!

All three artists were really good and it was a wonderful performance. I’m not sure where exactly Ayako was looking when she belted out the songs but I’m just glad that it wasn’t in my direction! This was only Volume 1 so I assume that means there will be a sequel so let’s see if the stars all align again to mean I’m available to attend the follow-up.

Bonus: For further listening, I’ve just about managed to think of 8 opera songs that I know:

1. Nessun Dorma – Luciano Pavarotti (used by the BBC as their World Cup 1990 theme music); 2. Canto Della Terra – Andrea Bocelli (used by the BBC as their Euro 2000 theme music); 3. Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman; 4. Prince Igor – Warren G. & Sidsel (rap song with a great sample); 5. Miss Sarajevo – U2 & Pavarotti; 6. Madame Butterly: One Fine Day (Un Bel Di) – Opera Babes (used by ITV as their World Cup 2002 theme music); 7. Barcelona – Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe; 8. Canzonetta Sull’aria (memorably featured in a scene in ‘The Shawshank Redemption‘)

Click here to read ‘My First Time to See British Band Muse Play Live in 19 Years!’

Click here to read ‘Star Wars & Beyond: The Music of John Williams Live in Concert’

Click here to read ‘La La Land Live in Concert Returns to Tokyo For Four More Shows’

Click here to read ‘Watching Back to the Future on the Big Screen Accompanied by a Live Orchestra’