Tokyo Global Concert (4)

 The concert reached the most exciting part as the singers entertained the audience with even more popular-hit numbers. A considerable number of the audience gave the performers standing ovations every time they finished singing each song. The performance reached its peak of excitement when Domingo began singing the first encore "Besame Mucho." During the performance. he invited the audience to sing with him, and the excited audience reply with enthusiastic cheers and applause. 

 The concert ended with "Furusato", a Japanese song with lyrics reminding people of one's hometown. All four members sang it together. 

From left, Virginia Tola, Michaela Oeste, Placido Domingo
and Dr.Haruhisa Handa
sing together during the concert.

IFAC

Tokyo Global Concert (3)

 In the first part of the concert, Dr.Handa and Oeste sang "La ci darem la mano" from "Don Giovanni", followed by Dr.Handa's solo performance of "Torna a Surriento" and "'O sole mio"...  Domingo sang "Nemico della patria" from "Andrea Chenier". Tolan an Oeste sang famous solo arias and each performed duets with Domingo.

 In the second part of the concert, the three sang songs mainly from musicals and movies. It began with a medley of "The sound of Music". They also sang famous piece such as "I could have danced all night" from "My Fair Lady", "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Impossible Dream" from "Man of La Mancha".

Tokyo Global Concert (2)

 Domingo is a world-famous classical singer. He gained much fame as an artist in the Latin and pop genres. He has won eleven Grammy Awards, three Latin Grammy awards, and two Emmy Awards., so that he is now recognized as a "Living Legend" and the "King of Opera".

 He is still actively performing even though he is now at the age 74. He can take a variety of roles, including tenor singer, conductor, and arts administrator. This really shows his versatility. Up to now, he has had many great experiences of performing at the most prestigious opera houses in the world. He has performed more than 146 different roles in operas. 

 Domingo was best known for performing with his fellow tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras. The first album of Three Tenors became the best-selling album of all time in the classical genre.

Tokyo Global Concert (1)

 On Aug.26, The International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) held its fourth Tokyo Global Concert. It featured Placido Domingo, Virginia Tola, Michaela Oeste and Dr.Toshu Fukami. As much as 5000 audience attended the concert.  

 The concert was sponsored by lots of international cultural institutions and embassies, newspapers. 

 Some of the condert profits will be donated to Tohoku reconstruction assistance.

IFAC Chairman Dr. Haruhisa Handa shakes hands with
"King of Opera" Placido Domingo
during the fourth Tokyo Global Concert
at the Tokyo International Forum,
on Aug.26

IFAC

Midsummer Night's Jazz And Pop Extravaganza (2)

   When Bolton appeard on the stage, he said, "Konbanwa(good evening), thank you for coming...I get a phone call from Dr.Handa and he said, 'I feel like jazz.''' That's why they decided to hold the concert.
   Bolton sang 11 songs, including "That's Life,""You Don't Know me,""Night and Day,""Summer Wind,""Fly Me to the Moon,""New York, New York,""How am I Supposed to Live Without You,""Prayer,""When a Man Loves a Woman,""How Cold We be Lovers?" and "Georgia."
  When he sang "How am I Supposed to Live Without You", he said it is the first hit he ever wrote for another artist. It was written for Laura Branigan, who released it in 1983. Later, he sang it himself on an album released in 1989.
   Afterwards, Bolton invited Amanda Brown, a youg female artist who became famous on the U.S.TV program "The Voice," to the stage, telling the audience that She absolutely killed it on The Voice.
  Subsequently, Brown and Bolton sang together "How am I Supposed to Live Without You" and "Prayer."
  For an encore, Dr.Handa and Bolton together sang "What a Wonerful World" and "Nessun Dorma."

  Almost all the auience seemed to be totally fascinated with the songs they sang from the beginning till the end.

 The concert was the third one where Bolton and Dr.Handa made their joint effort to hold a concert.

Dr.Handa gestures as he walks among the clapping audience.

TAF

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, July.22, 2015)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/2015/07/22/special-supplements/michael-bolton-entertains-popular-favorites/#.VbHOJoQw_mI





 

Midsummer Night's Jazz And Pop Extravaganza (1)

 On July 14, the Tokyo Art Foundation (TAF) held a concert in which Dr.Handa and Michael Bolton gave the 4,000 people an excellent vocal performance at National Convention Hall, Pacifico Yokohama,  in Yokohama, Japan. 

 The concert was titled "Midsummer Night's Jazz And Pop Extravaganza".

 The two sang popular classics favored for a long time by people around the world, including those by Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Edith Piaf and etc.

 At the beginning of the concert, Dr.Handa introduced "Hair Band", all of whom are foreign musicians. Dr.Handa said jokingly, "One guitarist was using a guitar he just bought in Tokyo and a saxophonist brought just a mouthpiece and rented a saxophone."  

 Dr.Handa sang 16 songs, including "Take the A Train," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "La Vie en Rose," "Autumn Leaves,""I Left My Heart in San Francisco" "Moon River,""Misty,""As Time Goes by,""The Shadow of Your Smile,""Summertime,""It's a Sin to Tell a Lie,""Tennessee Waltz,""Fly Me to the Moon,""Danny Boy,""Speak Softly Love," and "When the Saints go Marching in."

 As usual, Dr.Handa gave a short explanation of each song before singing them. Before singing "It's Only a Paper Moon," he said,"It's a song about how true love makes the moon shine."

 While singing "Tennessee waltz," he stopped in the middle as he got emotional sympathizing with the woman in the song. later, he started over to sing to the end. 

Michael Bolton and Tokyo Art Foundation Chairman Dr. Haruhisa  Handa
sing together at a concert in Yokohama onJuly 14.

TAF

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, July.22, 2015)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/2015/07/22/special-supplements/michael-bolton-entertains-popular-favorites/#.VbHOJoQw_mI

Exploring A New Realm Of Performance: Not A Solo, Not A Drama, Not A Musical (4)

 On the contrary, Entertainment District can said to be a drama with rather conventional development of the acts.
 In the play, a man dropped in a local bar at the end of the day, and found that the bartender and the customers were all able to read his mind. But the man, who is married, can't read their minds. That is because the bartender and the customers are all single (dokushin in Japanese)...   
 Here, the wordplay stands out because 'being single' explains the reason they are telepathic.

Actors perform in the third play, "Entertainment District."
with Dr.Handa performing his unique stage role at the right side of the stage

TAF

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, July.15, 2015)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/2015/07/15/special-supplements/show-features-fantastical-dramas-showa-tunes/