In this concert, soprano Ayako Ohtake (SBS Japan's VIVA! Opera) shares and performs some of the most beautiful and well-known art songs from Japan. Ayako is joined by pianist and associate artist Meena Ahn on piano making her Blush Opera debut. Japan's art song history represents decades of exciting fusion of romantic European traditions with Japanese aesthetics. Ayako and Meena will perform a selection from different decades and composers including songs by Yoshinao Nakada, Kousaku Yamada, and Makiko Kinoshita.
This concert will also include the premiere of a new composition by Blush Opera co-artistic director, Paul Smith, written collaboratively with Ayako and based on the writings of 9th century waka poet, Ono no Komachi.