Mieko Sato & Ken Nishikiori ‘Donizetti’

Mieko Sato graduated　from the Musashino Academy of Music in Tokyo. After completing the 9th training course for opera singers at the Japan Opera Foundation, she went to Italy to continue her opera studies. While in Italy she was awarded the 7th Goto Memorial Culture Award for new opera singers in 1996, and she extended her studies in Italy for two years from 1997 on a scholarship from the Goto Memorial Culture Foundation.

In 1998 Sato received international attention as the first Japanese to win 1st prize in the voice division of the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition. Among other prizes at competitions in Japan and abroad, she won three prizes (1st prize in the voice division, the Masuzawa prize and the study abroad special prize) at the 64th Japan Music Competition.

Mieko Sato made her opera debut in 1995, performing Gilda in Rigoletto at the Teatro Manzoni in Rome, Italy. She has since appeared in many operas in Japan and other countries. In 2003 she was invited to appear in leading roles in Lucia di Lammermoor and Rigoletto at the Sofia National Opera in Bulgaria, and received high acclaim for her performances.　In the same year, a highlights version of Sato’s specialty, Lucia di Lammermoor, was created for her under the title “Lucia in Fantasy” (directed by Tatsuji Iwata) and premiered in Aichi, Japan. Since then, the unique production has been presented in locations around Japan, always attracting much attention.

In addition to operas, Sato has performed in many recitals and a wide range of concerts including Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Auferstehung” with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Eliahu Inbal, and Orff’s “Carmina Burana.” In 2009 she performed the title role in a concert version of Iolanta (with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev), moving listeners with the emotional richness of her expression and receiving high acclaim.

Mieko Sato has released numerous CDs on Victor Entertainment, including La Lucia, Aria, Sakura Yokocho, Mieko Sato Sings Tchaikovsky, Sen no Kaze ni Natte, Opera Arias, and Mieko Sato Sings Tchaikovsky II. She was the recipient of the 9th Idemitsu Music Award, the 2nd Russian Song Award, and the 10th Japan Steel Music Award for Fresh Artists. She is a member of the Fujiwara Opera Company.

Ken Nishikiori graduated from Kunitachi College of Music and completed the fifth term at the Opera Studies　Center. He also studied in Milan and Vienna. He is a recipient of the 17th Giraud Opera New Artist Award, the 4th Global Atsuko Azuma Award, the 1st Gotoh Memorial Cultural Award’s New Artist Award, and the 6th Mobil Music Award for ‘Promising New Musician’ in the Western Classical Music Division. Since his debut performing Camille in The Merry Widow in 1986, Nishikiori has been highly acclaimed for his performances in operas, concerts of sacred music with orchestra, and recitals where he fascinates fans with his friendly talk as well. He also appears in TV and radio programs. Since 2002, he has been producing operas and recently carried out the 5th project with Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia in February – April, 2012.