Keiichiro Shibuya Android Opera “MIRROR” – Deconstruction and Rebirth

Android Opera “MIRROR” – Deconstruction and Rebirth by composer Keiichiro Shibuya will be presented for the first time at Festival Hall in Osaka in May as part of the 64th Osaka International Festival 2026. The performance marks the Osaka debut of a work that combines advanced technology with live musical performance and traditional Japanese religious music.

The opera features an AI-powered android as the vocal performer, appearing alongside a live orchestra, piano, electronic sound, and large-scale visual projections. A central musical element of the production is shōmyō, a form of Japanese Buddhist chant with a history of approximately 1,200 years. Since its initial presentation, the work has been staged internationally, including at Expo 2020 Dubai in 2022 and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in 2023, with a Tokyo performance scheduled at Suntory Hall in November 2025.

The production centres on Android Maria, created in 2025 and modeled after Shibuya’s late wife. Shibuya participates in the performance as pianist and electronic musician. Additional performers include the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, with Tatsuki Narita serving as guest concertmaster, and Buddhist monks from Mount Kōya’s Kongōbu-ji Temple performing shōmyō chants.

Visual projections for the opera are created by visual artist Justine Emard, while android programming is overseen by computer music composer Shintaro Imai. Through its structure and collaborators, the production brings together contemporary composition, artificial intelligence, orchestral performance, and traditional Buddhist music within a single operatic framework.

Ticket Types & Prices (all seats reserved, tax included):

• SS Seat: ¥15,000

• S Seat: ¥12,000

• A Seat: ¥9,000

• B Seat: ¥6,000

• BOX Seat: ¥18,000

• Balcony BOX (2-seat set): ¥24,000 (available at box office and by phone)

Tickets are available through the Festival Hall Online Ticket portal and the Ticket Pia Platform.