Photo: Herbie Yamaguchi

Kazushi Ono, conductor

'Style and Latin flair came from the pit, where versatile Kazushi Ono alternated sheer excitement with breadth of vision and exquisite timing. Forza is often labelled a conductor’s opera and Ono showed convincingly why it continues to draw us in.'

Financial Times, June 2008 (Verdi Forza / La Monnaie)

Kazushi received the Imperial Award of the Japan Academy of Arts in Tokyo on 31 May in the presence of the Emperor and Empress of Japan (see photo). Kazushi was awarded the prize for his achievements as a conductor, with a particular focus on his celebrated Japan tour of the Opera de Lyon with Massenet’s 'Werther' in the autumn of 2009. Kazushi is also the 41st winner of the prestigious Suntory Music Award, selected for his outstanding contribution to the development of western style classical and contemporary music in Japan. The award is presented annually and previous winners include Seiji Ozawa, Mitsuko Uchida and Goto Midori. The Suntory Music Award's commemorative concert is planned for August 2011.

Follow this link to read the February 2010 press release relating to Kazushi Ono joining Van Walsum Management

Principal Conductor, Opéra de Lyon

Conductor Laureate, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra