The Princess Anio opera project, which began in 2020 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations, is scheduled to hit the stage in Tokyo on November 4. (Source: anio-opera.com) The opera is based on a real love story between Japanese merchant Araki Sotaroand Princess Ngoc Hoa (called Princess Anio by Japanese) in Hoi An, Vietnam,during the trading era of the Shuinsen in the early 17th century. Vietnamese singersDao To Loan and Bui Thi Trang (female soprano) play the princess, while two Japanese male tenors, Kobori Yusuke and YamamitoKohei, take the role of her lover.
Addressing the press conference in Tokyo, Vietnamese Ambassador toJapan Pham Quang Hieu said the opera is a perfect combination of Vietnamese andJapanese musical culture and its staging on the anniversary occasion reflectsthe close friendship and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.
Hieu stressed that closeness and intimacy are a foundationfor strengthening the countries’ bilateral friendship and a premise for furtherdevelopment of their extensive strategic partnership in the future.
Director general of the project Honna Tetsugi, music director and chiefconductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, said that the opera usesboth Vietnamese and Japanese.
He emphasised that it is a result of a very hard workprocess./.