2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival has ended with great success! See you August 10th to September 4th in 2024!
The 2023 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival had 7 programs with 8 performances over 19 days from August 19th. The “Concert for Children” on September 6th at Kissei Bunka Hall marked the finale of the 2023 Festival. A total of approximately 9500 audience came to the paid performances.
The Festival opened with "OMF Chamber Music Study Group - Liedduo Recital," <Orchestra Concert Program A> featured Yasuhito Sugiyama (Saito Kinen Orchestra member) as soloist under the direction of Stéphane Denève for Tuba Concerto. Together with OMF Choir and Tokyo Opera Singers, masterpieces of Poulenc and Ravel were performed by the Saito Kinen Orchestra. <Orchestra Concert Program B> witnessed Director Seiji Ozawa's long-held dream of co-starring SKO with his beloved friend John Williams come true. Both orchestra performances received generous applause from the audience.
Three "Chamber Concerts” offered once-in-a lifetime ensembles played by SKO members at Harmony Hall. Maestro Diego Matheuz, the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy, and up and coming opera singers performed Acts 1 and 2 from Puccini’s La Bohème for “OMF Opera”. Three “Demae” Concerts with free admission were enjoyed by residents of assisted living who rarely have the opportunity to listen to live classical music, as well as by the local residents of Matsumoto. One of the “Demae” Concerts was held at Matsumoto City Museum, scheduled to open in October 2023.
"Opera for Children" and "Concert for Children" invited over 10,000 children from elementary and junior high schools in Nagano Prefecture. The educational programs founded with the beginning of the festival have been steadily carried forward into the new era.
We would like to express our gratitude to all of you who came to Matsumoto to listen to music this summer, as well as the volunteer staff who supported the festival behind the scenes, and the sponsor companies and related parties who made this festival possible.
The 2024 Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival is scheduled from August 10th (Sat) to, September 4th (Wed). Maestro Andris Nelsons, who received great applause at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 30th anniversary special performance in 2022, and Maestra Nodoka Okisawa, who also conducted Mozart’s "Le Nozze di Figaro" last year, will return to the festival in 2024.
Details of the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 2024 are to be announced. We are looking forward to seeing you at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival 2024.
