Diana Farah

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Festival 2025 has opened its doors with an extraordinary inaugural concert, marking a significant celebration of Japan’s rich musical heritage.

This year’s festival, themed ‘Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony,’ commemorates over 50 years of friendship and diplomatic relations between the UAE and Japan, featuring a historic performance by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of the esteemed Maestro Yutaka Sado.

Speaking to Arab News Japan ahead of the performance, Sado reflected on the invaluable mentorship he received from legendary conductors Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa.

He credited Ozawa for honing his technical conducting skills, while Bernstein encouraged a more expressive approach.

“Ozawa disciplined me with precision in my movements, while Bernstein would challenge me, asking if I was a policeman with my strict gestures,” Sado said. “Both of them instilled in me a love for music that I now aim to pass on to younger generations.”

At 63, Sado continues to ensure that orchestral music remains accessible and inspiring, not only for professional musicians but also for wider audiences, including amateur music lovers.

With a career spanning continents, Sado has conducted orchestras from Paris to Kyoto. Though he spends significant time in Vienna, he acknowledges the influence of his Japanese heritage on his artistry.

“I don’t deliberately infuse Japanese elements into my performances, but my upbringing in Kyoto, surrounded by temples and shrines, naturally shapes my interpretation of music,” he explained.

At the Abu Dhabi Festival, Sado and the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra brought this synergy to the stage.

The program featured works by Tchaikovsky and Puccini, alongside a special performance of Yasushi Akutagawa’s “Triptyque.”

“This piece moves like a ninja—fast, slow, unpredictable. It’s an exciting showcase of Japanese musical energy,” Sado said.

Sado and his orchestra arrived in Abu Dhabi eager explore the UAE.

“We visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and it was breathtaking—one of the most impressive architectural wonders I have ever seen,” he told Arab News Japan.

The festival’s inaugural concert at the Emirates Palace marked the Arab world debut of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Accompanied by internationally renowned tenor Jonathan Tetelman and pianist Kyohei Sorita, the orchestra delivered a performance that demonstrated their cohesion.

 “Japanese orchestras are known for their unity—we play as one,” Sado said. “That is something I hope the Abu Dhabi audience will feel tonight.”

While Sado is celebrated for his work with orchestras worldwide, he remains invested in the future of Japan’s classical music scene.

He expressed concerns about the younger generation’s shrinking attention span, worsened by social media.

“Young people today are used to three-minute songs. We need to bring them back to appreciating the air moving around them in a concert hall, to feeling the power of a live orchestra,” he said.

To achieve this, he advocates for deeper community engagement. “Orchestras should be part of people’s daily lives, not just distant institutions. In Japan, I want to see orchestras involved in schools and local festivals, fostering a stronger connection with the public.”