The 45th anniversary; Bruce Lee (2)

  TAF and Misuzu also hosted “Bruce Lee Festival Eve”, with Yuen to honor Lee, at the Kichijoji Dai Ichi Hotel, Tokyo, on July 29.

  In Lee’s unfinished film “Game of Death”, Yuen was chosen to play Lee’s double. Yuen said that he had intended to establish his own style while incorporating Lee’s way of performance.

Action Star Yuen Biao (left) and Bruce Lee impersonator Ryuhei Imai
give a demonstration as Dr.Handa looks on
in Tokyo on July 29.

TAF

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, August 10, 2018）

The 45th anniversary; Bruce Lee(1)

  In commemoration of the 45^th anniversary of the death of Bruce Lee, TAF also hosted actor Donnie Yen and action star Yuen Biao, who were both much inspired by Lee, in discussions about the legendary martial artist. The event was to celebrate the launching of sales for the Bruce Lee tourbillion watch to which Misuzu Corp., imported watch seller, holds exclusive Japanese sales right.

 TAF and Misuzu also hosted the “Bruce Lee Festival” with Donnie Yen to honor Lee, at the Hyatt Regency Tokyo on Aug.1. Dr.Handa and Yen talked about various topics, including Yen’s Hollywood and Hong Kong projects that include “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, Disney’s “Mulan” remake, and “Ip Man” series, where Yen plays Ip Man, a legendary martial artist who was Lee’s master in real life.

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, August 10, 2018）

The opera “Yuzuru” (3)

 Soprano Hiroko Onuki played Tsu, an injured crane who is saved by the farmer Yohyo,  acted by tenor Naoki Tokorodani. Tsu transforms herself into a human secretly and becomes Yohyo’s wife. She weaves a beautiful cloth from her feathers for him.

Baritone Masanobu Shibayama played Sodo, a greedy villager. He persuades Yohyo to let Tsu weave more luxurious cloth in order to make a fortune. Tsu accepts Yohyo’s wish, on condition that Yohyo never visits her while she weaves.

 However, tempted by villagers peeping into Tsu’s weaving place, Yohyo also goes to look, and he finds there a crane. Tsu, knowing Yohyo breaks his promise, leaves him and tranforms back into a crane.   

The opera “Yuzuru”(2)

 Based on the Japanese folktale “The Grateful Crane”, “Yuzuru” is Japan’s most renowned opera which has been performed more than 800 times in and outside of Japan since its first performance in 1952.

 During his speech, Dr.Handa recommended that the audience enjoy soloist’s voices, as well as to take note of how they are able to project their voices to the back of the theater.

During the performance, the singers did not use microphones.

 Dr.Handa said, “Today’s cast represents the finest singers, with expressive voices that have performed ‘Yuzuru’ many times.”

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, August 10, 2018）

The opera “Yuzuru”(1)

 The Tokyo Art Foundation (TAF), in support of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC), hosted the opera “Yuzuru” (“Twilight Crane”) in Tokyo on Aug.1. About 1,700 ausience enjoyed the performance.

 Before the opera, TAF Chairman as well as music critic Dr.Haruhisa Handa, dressed in a formal men’s kimono that consists of a haori (half length jacket) and hakama (split skirt), talked about how to enjoy opera to the sudience.

Tokyo Art Foundation Chairman Dr.Haruhisa Handa (center)

and the "Yuzuru" opera cast greet the audience in Tokyo on Aug.1

TAF

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, August 10, 2018）

Opera Australia’s Broadway Musical performance (3)

This concert was collaborated by the IFAC and Opera Australia. The collaboration made it possible to hold “Handa Opera on Sydney Harbor”, an annual open air opera on a purpose-built stage at Sydney Harbor since 2012.

 Dr.Handa, whose repertoires range from opera, pops, Noh, has earned various degrees from music schools in and outside Japan, including Musashino Academia Musicae and Edith Cowan University’s Academy of Performing Arts. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Juilliard School of Music and was awarded the President’s Medal by the world­renowned institution. 

Dr.Haruhisa Handa and Julie Lea Goodwin 

perform a duet during the concert

on June 9.

IFAC


(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, June 20, 2018）

Opera Australia’s Broadway Musical performance (2)

Soprano singer Julie Lea Goodwin, tenor John Longmuir and bass Ben Mingay sang together with baritone Dr.Handa.

 They took turns singing 20 songs, including “Tonight”, “Maria” from “West Side Story”, “I Dream a Dream”, “Bring Him Home” from “Les Miserables”, “On the Street Where You Live”, “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, “This Nearly Was Mine”, “The Hills Are Alive” from “South Pacific”, “All I Ask Of You”, “Music of the Night” from “The Phantom of Opera”, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” form “The Wizard of Oz”, “Tale As Old As Time” from “Beauty and the Beast” and other songs. 

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, June 20, 2018）

Opera Australia’s Broadway Musical performance (1)

The International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) held a concert featuring vocal performances by its Chairman Dr.Haruhisa Handa and soloists of Opera Australia, a world renowned opera troupe based out of Sydney Opera House, in Tokyo on June 9.

 The concert titled “Tokyo International Concert; The Evening of Musical” was cohosted by the Tokyo Art Foundation and Opera Australia. The singers sang popular numbers from famous musicals.

 At the beginning of the concert, Lyndon Terracini, the artistic director of Opera Australia, greeted the audience, saying, “Thank you all for coming. I hope you will enjoy this marvelous concert.”

Soloists, dancers and orchestra members greet the audience

at the "Tokyo International Concert;

The Evening of Musical"

in Tokyo on June 10.

IFAC

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, June 20, 2018）

Global Opinion Leaders Summit (2)

In a dialogue between Obama and Scannell, Obama spoke of his Hiroshima visit, North Korea, his ideal for denuclearization, the environment, Brexit and his experience as president.

 He said, “North Korea is a real threat. Our view has always been that we would prefer to resolve these issues peacefully…The country continues nuclear development and will conduct more nuclear experiments.”

 It should also be kept in mind that Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Also, he gave a memorial speech in Prague where he urged world leaders to work toward creating a nuclear arms-free world.

When speaking on his experiences as president, he said he enjoyed being surrounded by young people with selflessness and innovative minds for creating a better world.

Dr.Handa said John Key much contributed to making the summit a reality, since he was the first person to ask Obama to join the summit as part of Obama’s Asia-Pacific tour. 

WSD Honorary Advisor Brendan Scannell and Obama speak during the summit.

WSD

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, April 16, 2018）

Global Opinion Leaders Summit (1)

Worldwide Support for Development (WSD), a nonprofit organization holding summit meetings on global welfare, held the fourth Global Opinion Leaders Summit where former U.S. President Barak Obama spoke about denuclearization and world peace, in Tokyo on March 25.

 The speakers were Obama, WSD Chairman Dr.Haruhisa Handa, former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and WSD Honorary advisor Brendan Scannell.

More than 2,200 people attended at the meeting.

 The two years have passed since Obama visited Japan for the first time. During his first visit to Japan, he visited Hiroshima as U.S. president for the first time, and paid tribute to the victims of the WWII atomic bombing and their families.

 Dr.Handa said at the beginning of the summit, “I am very much honored to invite former President Barack Obama to Japan for the first time since he finished his second term.”

Former U.S.President Barack Obama and WSD Chairman Dr.Haruhisa Handa

shake hands during the Global Opinion Leaders Summit in Tokyo on March 25.

WSD

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, April 16, 2018）