Ken Nishikiori Produce Opera Vol.6 Mozart ‘Die Entführung aus dem Serail’

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.

Born in Yokohama, Ai Ichihara graduated from the department of vocal music of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

As an overseas music trainee of the MEIJIYASUDA CULTURAL FOUNDATION and an overseas trainee of artist sent by the agency for cultural affairs, she completed the Master´s programm of University of Music and Performing Arts Munich.

Ichihara is a winner of more than 20 prizes and awards, among them are the first prize of the 52nd Student Music Concours of Japan, the 1st prize of the 13th Mozart Music Competition in Japan, the 2nd prize and audience prize of International Voice Competition Vokal genial Munich 2007, Hans Gabor-Prize of the 27th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition 2007, the 2nd prize of the 77th n Music Competition of Japan, and the Distinguished Service Award in education and culture of Kamakura Municipal and others.

Still as a student of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Ichihara’s talent was already highly appreciated, and she appeared in solo recitals, concerts, and sang national anthem as a solo singer at the dissolution ceremony of the Japanese team for Sydney Olympics as well as the national high school baseball tournament. She also appeared in the performance of the ceremony to celebrate the Emperor’s 10th year on the throne presented by Cabinet Office, and the Royal Gala Concert to celebrate the birth of Princess Aiko.

Her remarkable career as a concert soloist includes concerts under the baton of Seiji Ozawa, Ulf Shirmer, Hans-Martin Schneidt, Helmut Winschermann, Max Pommer, Christian Arming, with Münchner Rundfunkorchester, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, Tokyo City Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, Yomiuri Symphony, Kanagawa Philharmonic, Osaka Philharmonic, and Nagoya Philharmonic. She has also appeared in many concerts including “Messiah” at the Wiener Musikverein, in Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and Japan. Her performance was broadcast live by Bayerischer Rundfunk and Deutschlandradio Berlin, and was recorded by Naxos label.

In the field of opera, Ichihara made debut at Prinzregententheater Munich as Placidia in Alarico, the German premiere of the baroque opera, followed by performances as the same role at Byreuth Markgräfliches Opernhaus, and Handel Music Festival at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. Her singing and playing as Adele in Die Fledermaus received great applause at Kurhaus Göggingen in Augusburg. She was chosen for the title role of Hydn’s Armida at the subscription concert of Hamburger camerata and was raved “A new star of soprano” by a newspaper. After that, she became a house soloist of Theater Augsburg, and performed Eurydice in Offencach´s Orphee aux Enfers, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte , Thalie and Clarine in Rameau´s Platee, Mi in Das Land des Lächelns , and others.
In 2010, Ichihara gave 7 recitals as the artist of CHANEL Pygmalion Days.
She has studied with Helmut Deutsche, Edith Wiens, and Frieder Lang.