Paris Opera brings avant garde operatic productions to Japan

The Paris Opera is bringing modern productions of the Western operatic repertoire to Japan in a tour of unprecedented size set against the backdrop of 150 years of Franco-Japanese relations. Japanese Kansai Telecasting Corp. invited the Paris National Opera company to tour Kobe and Tokyo to mark the anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries and the broadcaster's own jubilee. Kansai at the time described the tour as "avant garde". "We think it will give the Japanese public a new impulse that will allow it to open-up to modern opera," said Kansai. Starting Saturday, nearly one fifth of the Paris company will give nine performances -- featuring works by early 20th century composers Bela Bartok, Paul Dukas and Leos Janacek, as well as 19th century operatic giant Richard Wagner -- through to July 31. Some 300... [read full story]