This production is a special cross-disciplinary project by the New National Theatre, Tokyo, spanning opera, dance, and theatre, with the themes of science & technology and coexistence. Kazushi Ono, Artistic Director of the Opera Division, serves as the executive producer and conductor, while Eriko Ogawa, Artistic Director of the Theatre Division, oversees stage direction. The choreography for the ballet scenes is by Tetsuo Kaikawa of the National Ballet of Japan, under the supervision of Noriko Ohara.

As Japan’s leading opera house presents Super Angels to the world, the work centres on the interaction between an android and a children’s choir. Alongside several opera singers, a full orchestra of over 50 musicians, and a choir, the production also features White Band Chorus NIPPON, an ensemble of visually and hearing-impaired children who express music through singing and sign language using white gloves. Kazushi Ono, the theatre’s artistic director and a world-renowned conductor, leads the orchestra.

The original libretto was written by acclaimed author Masahiko Shimada, while WEiRDCORE—known for collaborations with Aphex Twin and Arca—creates the visuals. The overall stage design is directed by Yasushi Hario, the first Japanese artist to win the Bronze Prize at the World Stage Design Awards and an active designer across Europe.

The cast features the android Alter 3, a long-time collaborator of Shibuya since Scary Beauty, as one of the protagonists. Akira, a young boy, is performed by renowned countertenor Daichi Fujiki, who made a striking debut at the Vienna State Opera. The role of Erika, Akira’s love interest, is sung by leading coloratura soprano Rie Miyake. The production also includes the New National Theatre Chorus, Setagaya Junior Chorus, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and dancers from the National Ballet of Japan.

Shibuya’s vision evolves the opera form by placing a non-human technological entity, an android, at the core of an art form traditionally centred on Western humanism. In one striking sequence, Alter 3 mimics the hand gestures of the White Band Chorus NIPPON performers, attempting an awkward dance. This interaction inspires the ballet dancers, who transform the imitation into a fully realized choreography. The opera explores diversity and inclusivity through music, aiming for a boundary-defying artistic expression.

STORY

At a graduation ceremony, students turning 15 undergo an aptitude test determining their futures. Those selected are placed under the control of Mother, an all-knowing AI. Akira, labelled as an “anomaly,” is sent to a remote settlement. There, he encounters Golem 3, an android assigned as his mentor. As Golem 3 interacts with Akira and the AI doctor Erika, it begins to perceive human emotions, desires, and dreams—leading it to create something entirely beyond imagination.