Introduction

It was six months after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 that the Bayerische Staatsoper toured Japan. It was with the fullest cooperation between the Company and NBS to realize the tour after such a big incident. As the result, our relationship has become stronger. Six years since then, we are now working closely together to prepare the Company's Japanese tour in September 2017.

Germany is well known as the most operatic country in the world in terms of the number of performances as well as that of opera houses in the nation. The Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich has its origin as the first free-standing opera house in Germany in the mid-17th century. Today, It is recognized as one of the best opera houses in Europe, being on par with the Teatro alla Scala and the Wiener Staatsoper.

Munich's history has always developed along with musical milestones. It was In Munich that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart won his international fame with the premiere of his first opera seria in the 18th century. In the following century, the world premieres of four masterpieces of Richard Wagner realized by the support of King Ludwig II made Munich the center of European musical world. Today, at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich Opera Festival is held every summer for a month which was originally intended to present works by Mozart and Wagner only. These facts clearly explains that the operas by the two giants have always been the Company's most important repertoire performances.

Die Zauberflöte was premiered in Munich in 1793. Ever since, the masterpiece has been special for the people of Munich. August Everding's production has been loved for so many years because The Bayerische Staatsoper takes special pride in it.

It is quite natural that Munich has a long list of best Wagnerian conductors, having once been the "capital of Wagnerian opera". Not to mention, Kirill Petrenko, the Company's General Music Director, is one of them who has already joined the historical list. Petrenko has achieved international acclaim with conducting of Wagner's works including Der Ring des Nibelungen and is now recognized as one of the best conductors in European music scene. He was also named future Chief Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2019. His relationship with the Company and orchestra has naturally matured after four seasons. We cannot imagine any better timing for his Japanese debut than this upcoming tour in Fall.