The opera is based on a real love story between Japanese merchant Araki Sotaro and Princess Ngoc Hoa (called Princess Anio by Japanese) in Hoi An, Vietnam, during the trading era of the Shuinsen in the early 17th century. Vietnamese singers Dao To Loan and Bui Thi Trang (female soprano) play the princess, while two Japanese male tenors, Kobori Yusuke and Yamamito Kohei, take the role of her lover.

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The Princess Anio opera project, which began in 2020 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations, is scheduled to hit the stage in Tokyo on November 4. (Source: anio-opera.com)

Addressing the press conference in Tokyo, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu said the opera is a perfect combination of Vietnamese and Japanese musical culture and its staging on the anniversary occasion reflects the close friendship and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Hieu stressed that closeness and intimacy are a foundation for strengthening the countries’ bilateral friendship and a premise for further development of their extensive strategic partnership in the future.

Director general of the project Honna Tetsugi, music director and chief conductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, said that the opera uses both Vietnamese and Japanese.

He emphasised that it is a result of a very hard work process.

Source: VNA