On September 25-26, 2025, the Min-On Concert Association and the Embassy of the Republic of El Salvador came together to hold a special “culture lecture” event to commemorate the 90th anniversary formal diplomatic relations between Japan and El Salvador. Min-On organizes the series with respective embassies to introduce Japanese audiences to the music culture of the country being highlighted.
The first event took place at the Shibuya Cultural Center Owada’s Sakura Hall in Tokyo, followed by the second held at the Tokushima 21st Century Hall’s event hall in Tokushima Prefecture.
Organized by the El Salvadoran embassy, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and Min-On, the two concerts featured OPUS503, a trio of opera singers composed of José Guerrero, Mauro Iglesias and Esaú Osorio. They were joined on stage by Japanese soprano Mizuka Kobayashi and pianist Karin Furukawa.
At the Tokyo concert that drew an audience of some 400 people, His Excellency Diego Alejandro Dalton Rosales, El Salvadoran Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan, was the guest of honor. Also in attendance were ambassadors and representatives from ten diplomatic missions, as well as Cultural Affairs Deputy Commissioner Nobukazu Hinata.
Following welcome speeches from Mr. Hinata and Ambassador Dalton, OPUS503 took to the stage to perform several scores by renowned El Salvadoran composers Mario Ancaimo. These include “Mia Bella Veranera” (My Beautiful Bougainvillea) and “Corazón de Añil” (Indigo Heart), as well as Pancho Lara’s “The Carbonero” (Coal Burner), affectionately referred to as the country’s second national anthem. Then the two Japanese performers played “Sakura Yokocho” (Cherry Blossom Alley) and Puccini’s “Tu Che Di Gel Sei Cinta” (You Who Are Girdled With Ice) from the opera Turandot.
The El Salvadoran and Japanese artists then collaborated in singing “Kojo no Tsuki” (The Moon Over The Ruined Castle) in Japanese, as well as other classic Italian and opera scores. For the encore, they performed “Con Te Partirò,” or appropriately “Time To Say Goodbye.”
For their final performance of their tour, OPUS503 traveled to Tokushima prefecture, concluding their show with a standing ovation by the some 250 people in attendance. Ambassador Dalton traveled with the opera trio and expressed his desire to further promote cultural exchange between his nation and Japan.
