About Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation

"Nikikai" was a membership company formed in 1952 by 16 Japanese leading singers of the time led by MIYAKE Harue (soprano), KAWASAKI Shizuko (alto), SHIBATA Mutsumu (tenor) and NAKAYAMA Teiichi (baritone). The main functions of "Nikikai" have been opera production, workshops for members, opera institute for young singers and artists' management. But in 1977, its opera unit was reformed to found "Nikikai Opera Foundation" given sanction by the Agency of Cultural Affairs with the stable financial support. "Nikikai" and "Nikikai Opera foundation" have developed their activity and played important roles in the classical music field as one of the leading groups through 70 years period. The total number of opera productions during the years amounted to about 350. In 2005, "Nikikai Opera Foundation" was reorganized to name "Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation" by merging "Nikikai" in order to strengthen its activity under the strategic business administration, so that it will continue to have share in the cultural development in Japan.

The name "Nikikai", which literally means 'second-generation association', was chosen to gratitude to the predecessors for their achievements and to express a fresh determination of the second generation to make a further development.

"Nikikai" is an organization of singers with 2,700 members and it has 5 sister organizations throughout Japan, namely Kansai Nikikai(founded in 1964), Hokkaido Nikikai(1964), Nagoya Nikikai(1970), Chugoku Nikikai(1973), Shikoku Nikikai(1973) and Oita Nikikai(2010) who act individually in their region.

Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation [Tokyo Nikikai Opera Theatre]

1-25-12, Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051 JAPAN
TEL: +81-3-3796-1818, FAX: +81-3-3796-4710