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Independent Productions

“Art is a powerful weapon in the struggle for peace. It is the ultimate dance of victory in life. The sweat and tears of artists perfecting and performing their art are in themselves efforts in the construction of peace and culture for all humanity.” – Daisaku Ikeda (Translated from Japanese from the January 27, 1999, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai daily newspaper, (1997).)

Min-On’s mission is not limited to enhancing worldwide cultural exchange and providing a wide range of the finest performing arts; the organization also hosts a variety of independent productions throughout Japan every year to encourage the flourishing of music and the arts. These productions have included a number of operas independently produced by Min-On, as well as original musicals and plays. Most recently in 2008, Min- On created its own production of Odyssey—Brass Angels 2008, featuring an all-female cast with brass, percussion and color guard performers from the United States.

This unique production was named Music Motion Theater, which could be categorized as a new musical genre—a fusion of two different American performing arts traditions: marching bands and Broadway style musical theater.

Min-On Opera Production “Les contes d’Hoffmann” in 1984

Original Opera La Traviata in 1990

Min-On Popular Song Theater “Bokyo no Uta”

Original Musical “Swingin’ at Backstage” in 1995

Min-On Production Odyssey

Min-On Opera Productions

1983   “Le Nozze di Figaro”

Produced by Yasuhiko Aguni; Conducted by Yukinori Tezuka; Soloists: Tadahiko Hirano, Hiroshi Kudo, Mitsumasa Sato, Yukie Okura, Yukiko Iwasaki, Masako Saito, Yasuko Kozaki and Kimiko Nagahama


1984   “Les contes d’Hoffmann”

Produced by Keisuke Suzuki; Conducted by Seiji Ozawa; Soloists: Makoto Hayashi, Kiyomi Toyota, Yukie Okura, Yoshie Tanaka and Takao Okamura


1987   “La Cenerentola”

Produced by Yasuhiko Aguni; Conducted by Jerome Kaltenbach and Naohiro Totsuka; Soloists: Yoshihisa Yamaji, Eiichi Taira, Kiyoshi Oda, Hiroyuki Okayama, Kiyotaka Kaga, Taichi Uchiyama, Kazuko Nagai and Keiko Omi


1989   “The Queen of Spades”

Produced by Yasuhiko Aguni; Conducted by Seiji Ozawa; Soloists: Hiroshi Kawakami, Makoto Hayashi, Shinobu Sato, Masako Saida, Akemi Nishi, Aiko Kori, Michio Tatara and Susumu Matsumoto


1990   “La Traviata”

Produced by Yasuhiko Aguni and Shigetaka Matsumoto; Conducted by Jacques Delacote; Soloists: Shinobu Sato, Robert Alagna, Robert Flontali, Michiko Aoki, Yukimi Akiyama and Ikuo Obo

Original Dramas among Twenty-four Different Productions

1974   “Broken Drum,” starring Isamu Nagato


1976   Min-On Romantic Theater: “Hachiro Sato’s Song of Balloon,” starring Teruhiko Aoi


1978   Min-On Romantic Theater: “Hakushu Kitahara’s Path I Had Walked Once Before”


1981   Original Play: “Aoki Okami,” starring Tomisaburo Wakayama


1984   Min-On Popular Song Theater: “Bokyo no Uta,” starring Makoto Fujita


1987   Min-On Original Theater: “Omitsu,” starring Pinko Izumi


1990   “Boy and Cherry Trees” by Tsunobue Theater Company


1990   “The Rentaro Taki Story,” starring Noboru Matsuhashi


2004   Choral Theater: “Blue Sky,” starring Mai Kitajima and Singers

Original Musicals Among Twenty-three Different Productions

1973   “Genius Drifter,” starring Gannosuke Ashiya


1975   “October Is the Land of Twilight,” starring the Tokyo Kid Brothers


1975   “Chaplin and Me,” starring Ichiro Arishima


1976   “One Same Door,” starring the Tokyo Kid Brothers


1985   “Le Pettit Prince,” starring Hideko Yoshida


1995   “Swingin’ at Backstage,” starring Izumi Yukimura and Kaho Shimada


1995   “The Broadway Story,” starring Yoshinori Monta


2008   Music Motion Theater: “Odyssey—Brass Angels 2008”

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