Your current location:HOME >entertainment >VOX POPULI: China always occupied a special place in Ozawa’s heart 正文
TIME:2024-05-08 12:11:34 Source: Internet compilationEdit:entertainment
If memory serves, I met conductor Seiji Ozawa in Beijing around 20 years ago when he was working wit
If memory serves, I met conductor Seiji Ozawa in Beijing around 20 years ago when he was working with a group of young Chinese on the opera “The Barber of Seville” composed by Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).
I vividly recall his look of tremendous satisfaction, mixed with surprise, as he told me happily, “The rise of the level of music in China is simply astounding.”
Ozawa, who died Feb. 6 at age 88, was born in 1935 in the former Manchurian city of Mukden (present-day Shenyang). He was said to have been named Seiji after two senior officers of the Kwantung Army--Seishiro Itagaki (1885-1948) and Kanji Ishihara (1889-1949).
Probably because of his background, Ozawa always had a special affection for China. He often referred to himself as “someone who was born in China and grew up in Japan.”
When he revisited China after World War II, Ozawa recalled the tragic history of the Sino-Japanese War, and his eyes were sometimes said to be red from weeping as he stood on the podium.
Around the time of his global debut, racial discrimination and prejudice toward Japanese was not unusual in Europe and the United States. There, people just assumed no Japanese conductor could really understand Bach.
Ozawa struggled to find his own identity. His search for roots, if you will, may have made him aware of his feelings for China.
If you watched him from a distance, he was “Ozawa of the world” who only had to wave his magic baton to melt national borders so he could easily jump over them.
But I will never forget these words he spoke quietly: “How far can Asians understand classical music that was born in Europe? My life is an experiment to find out.”
Ozawa valued personal ties. He once said of the Japan-China relationship, “What matters is each individual person. What ordinary citizens think is far more important than what the government thinks. That, at least, is what I believe.”
--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 10
* *
*Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Survivors of alleged abuse in Illinois youth detention facilities step forward2024-05-08 11:53
Australia's 'expansion plan' for AUKUS raises concern2024-05-08 11:24
Development key to protecting human rights2024-05-08 11:21
MNCs keen on green ties in transport, logistics2024-05-08 10:56
Norris beats Verstappen for maiden F1 victory2024-05-08 10:23
Stone carvings found inside cave of China's Longmen Grottoes2024-05-08 09:56
50 city volunteer service stations for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games went live2024-05-08 09:53
Forum calls for end to anti2024-05-08 09:40
Judge dismisses lawsuit by mother who said school hid teen's gender expression2024-05-08 09:35
Revised rules to 'sharpen sword' in graft fight2024-05-08 09:28
Sparks move home game against Caitlin Clark and Indiana from Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles2024-05-08 12:06
Chinese FM mourns passing of renowned Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa2024-05-08 11:24
Xi encourages more U.S. youths to visit China2024-05-08 11:19
Beijing International Film Festival to feature French film week2024-05-08 10:28
Rainfall allows Spain's Catalonia to ease water restrictions for 1st time during drought2024-05-08 10:25
50 city volunteer service stations for the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games went live2024-05-08 10:16
Across China: Exhibition unveils rare masterpiece by ancient Chinese artist2024-05-08 10:05
New UK sanctions targeting Chinese companies over Ukraine crisis are unilateralism:embassy2024-05-08 09:58
Victim of road2024-05-08 09:58
Emergency flying force to the rescue2024-05-08 09:28