BOSTON (AP) 鈥 The Boston Symphony Orchestra is embarking on a four-city tour of Japan next month, for its first overseas engagements since before the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of cultural events around the world.
The orchestra is scheduled to perform at Yokohama鈥檚 Minato Mirai Hall on Nov. 9; Kyoto鈥檚 Concert Hall on Nov. 10; Osaka鈥檚 Festival Hall on Nov. 11; and Tokyo鈥檚 Suntory Hall on Nov. 13, 14 and 15.
鈥淭he last few years have taught us to be especially grateful for the gifts of our lives," Boston Symphony Orchetra music director Andris Nelsons said in a statement Wednesday. 鈥淭his is how we feel about returning to Japan, where we will passionately share our music while expressing our deep appreciation for the people and culture of this great country.鈥
The tour repertoire will include Mahler鈥檚 Symphony No. 6; Mozart鈥檚 Symphony No. 40; Shostakovich鈥檚 Symphony No. 5; Strauss鈥 鈥淎lpine Symphony"; and Caroline Shaw鈥檚 鈥淧unctum."
The orchestra will be joined by Mitsuko Ushida on piano in Osaka and Tokyo.
The stops in Yokohama and Kyoto are the orchestra's first visits to those cities since the late 1980s.
The trip to Japan is the 29th international tour in BSO history.
The orchestra's last overseas tour was an eight-city European trip in September 2018.
Tours to and were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
