World Premiere for Natasha, the New Opera by Toshio Hosokawa

The New National Theatre in Tokyo presents the world premiere of Natasha, a new opera by Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa, on stage from 11 to 17 August 2025. This opera is the third project commissioned by Artistic Director Kazushi Ono to Japanese composers, after Akira Nishimura’s Asters and Dai Fujikura’s A Dream of Armageddon. Natasha is a one-act opera, lasting approximately two and a half hours, sung in Japanese, German, Ukrainian and other languages, with English and Japanese surtitles. Hosokawa’s music, influenced by the 2011 earthquake, is configured as a prayer or a requiem, reflecting on the relationship between humanity and nature, and the consequences of environmental destruction. The libretto, written by award-winning author Yoko Tawada, narrates the encounter between Natasha, a wandering immigrant, and Arato, a young Japanese man. Led by an enigmatic figure, the “nephew of Mephistopheles,” the two protagonists traverse various contemporary “hells,” exploring themes such as war, migration, and the environmental crisis. The production is directed by Christian Räth, with sets by Daniel Unger and costumes by Mattie Ullrich. The cast includes Ilse Eerens as Natasha, Hiroka Yamashita as Arato, and Christian Miedl as the “nephew of Mephistopheles.” The musical part is entrusted to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chorus of the New National Theater, under the direction of Kazushi Ono.