Italy has long been synonymous with music - Italian operas and singers are loved the world over and Italian is widely accepted as the language of musical definition. However not many know that for some years now Japan has been hosting an important season of Italian music complete with a star-studded bill.

The current season (2001-2002) promises an enticing series of concerts - organised along with the Italian Cultural Institute - which covers a wide range of Italian music from opera to classical music, and traditional song to Ennio Morricone's stirring scores.

Japan has embraced Italian music and is preparing a welcome for its performers worthy of the world's top stars. Indeed the reception reserved for Mirella Freni during her 1998 tour with the Teatro Comunale di Bologna has gone down in history.
Japan is the dream stage for any performer with its ultra-modern hi-tech theatres, full-houses despite inflated ticket prices and a warm receptive audience that adore opera and repute Italians to be the best singers.

The huge and somewhat eclectic programme opened in Spring 2001 and will run through April 2002.
A large part of the event is given over to Neapolitan song, and follows Aurelio Fierro's tour which is due to close on December 19^th. The tour takes place in and around Tokyo home to one of the world's largest study centres into Neapolitan Music.
More dates for your diaries (if you live near Osaka or Tokyo) are April 22^nd to 25^th when Ennio Morricone, arguably Italy's greatest export to Hollywood, will perform some of his best-loved works in Morricone conducts Morricone, accompanied by the Roma Sinfonietta orchestra.

Look out for the young violinist Giovanni Angeleri - winner in 1997 of the prestigious Paganini Competition - who will play a series of concerts dedicated to the music of contemporary composers such as Luciano Berio and Luigi Nono as well as a piece for violin and orchestra which he'll play on Paganini's very own violin - the famous Guarneri del Gesù.

Last but not least are two operas scheduled for January and March 2002- "La Traviata" by Verdi and "The Capulets and the Montagues" by Vincenzo Bellini, both staged by the Japan Opera Foundation. A sure sign that Italian opera is becoming big in Japan.