January 18, 2022

Ongaku no Tomo – 17 best 2021 concerts in Japan
Concerts conducted by Riccardo Muti came first and second

The Japanese magazine Ongaku no Tomo asked 40 music critics and journalists to select 10 titles as best classical music performances in Japan in the period from December 1, 2020 to November 30, 2021.

Each of them could give 2 points for the first place and 1 point from the second place on. Results are in the scheme in the original pages of the article, where we find horizontally the names of journalists and vertically the top 10 titles.

Position Score – Titles

1 28 “- Macbeth” Spring Festival in Tokyo

2 16 – Vienna Philiharmonia conducted by Riccardo Muti

2 16 – “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” New National Theatre

4 11 – Isabel Faust (violin)

4 11 – Alexandre Kantorow (piano)

6 10 – Daniel Baremboim (piano)

6 10 –  “Lulu”  Tokyo Nikikai

8 8 – Ensemble InterContemporain

8 8 – Mitsuko Uchida (piano)

10 7 – Sayaka Shoji (violin) and Vikingur Olafsson (piano)

10 7 – “Love, Hope and Prayer” by Toru Takemitsu

10 7 – NHK Simphony Orchestra conducted by Herbert Blomstedt

10 7 – Evgeny Kissin (piano)

14 6 – Tokyo City Harmonic Orchestra conducted by Taijiro Iimori

14 6 – “Yuzuru”

16 5 – “La Cenerentola”  New National Theatre

16 5 – “La Traviata”  Suntory Hall

Riccardo Muti’s comment:

I am extremely honoured to receive this award from the prestijous magazine ONGAKU NO TOMO for the opera “Macbeth” performed during the 2021Tokyo Spring Festival and I share this honour with the wonderful musicians of the Tokyo Harusai Orchestra and Choir and with the young singers who have taken part to the 2021 Italian Opera Academy in Tokyo.

My best wishes for this new year to the Japanese people!