[The 21st Kamakura Arts Festival] Kenchoji Hatto — Special Night Concert - Oct 31st & Nov 1st

【The 21st Kamakura Arts Festival — Kamakura–Nice Sister City 60th Anniversary Event】
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Kamakura–Nice sister city partnership, a special evening concert will be held in the historic setting of the prestigeous Kenchoji, the top-ranked Zen temple among Kamakura's Five Mountains. A premium Shigeru Kawai grand piano will be brought into the Hatto (Dharma Hall) specially for the concert featuring a leading pianist from Nice, a young pianist from Kamakura, and a French vocalist with ties to Kamakura.
Enjoy a special musical experience available only for two nights with limited seating!
A reception where guests can meet the artists directly will also be held after the performance.

■ Performers

Nicolas Bringuier (Piano, Professor at the École Normale de Musique de Paris):
Born in Nice, he studied as a child with B. Rigutto and later at the Berlin University of the Arts. He has performed with many major orchestras, including the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Philharmonia, and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse. As a soloist, he has appeared at major venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Vienna Musikverein, and the Salle Cortot in Paris. He has won numerous prizes at international competitions, including the Schumann International and the Maria Canals International Competition. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Samson François International Piano Competition.

Yann Toussaint (Baritone, Professor at the Conservatoire de Paris - CNSMDP):
After studying French literature at the Sorbonne, he trained at the Conservatoire de Paris. His roles include the Count in The Marriage of Figaro, the title role in Don Giovanni, and Escamillo in Carmen. He performed alongside Roberto Alagna in The Last Day of a Condemned Man, and with Myung-Whun Chung in Otello at the Orange Festival. He is a frequent visitor to Japan, having sung the baritone solo in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Nagoya and in Brahms's German Requiem in Yokohama. In addition to Paris, he also teaches at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Netherlands.

Ryutaro Suzuki (Piano):
After graduating from Eiko Gakuen High School, he entered the Conservatoire de Paris at the top of his class, studying with B. Rigutto and H. Cartier-Bresson, and later with E. Virsaladze in Italy. He is now based in Paris and active internationally, performing with orchestras such as the Tokyo Philharmonic, Kanagawa Philharmonic, Valencia Orchestra, Málaga Philharmonic, and Louisiana Philharmonic (USA), as well as appearing at festivals across Europe and South America and on French national radio. In chamber music, he has toured nationally with Ryu Goto. He has released three albums to date and is actively engaged in premiering works by French and Japanese composers and introducing Japanese works abroad. He has placed highly at international competitions including the José Iturbi and Emil Gilels competitions. He serves as Artistic Director of Art & Space. (*Performing October 31 only)

■ Venue

Kenchoji Temple, Kamakura

8 Yamanouchi, Kamakura City, Kanagawa 247-8525
5 minutes by bus from JR Yokosuka Line "Kita-Kamakura" Station (Enoden Bus bound for "Kamakura Station," get off at "Kenchoji")
or about a 15-minute walk
10 minutes by bus from JR Yokosuka Line "Kamakura" Station (Enoden Bus bound for "Ofuna area," various routes, get off at "Kenchoji")
or about a 30-minute walk
If arriving by taxi from Kamakura Station, please note that you might have to wait for a long time before getting one.

■ Date & Time

Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026
Doors open: 4:00 PM
Performance begins: 4:30 PM
Reception follows the performance

■ Ticket Prices (per night)

General ¥10,000
High school students and under ¥4,000
(All seats unreserved; tax included)

※ Anyone holding a performance ticket may freely join the reception after the show, a drink will be served for free.
※ A complimentary shuttle taxi back to a JR Station will be available afterward (optional).

■ Program

October 31 (artists:  Bringuier, Suzuki): Chopin – Grande Valse Brillante, Ravel-Pavane for a Dead Princesse, Debussy – selections from the Préludes,  Fauré – Nocturne No. 6,

and more

November 1 (artists: Bringuier, Toussaint): Fauré, Ravel, Berlioz song cycles,

and more

■ Contact

contact@artspacejapan.com

※ Please show the confirmation email sent after purchase at the venue (it serves as your digital ticket).
※ Except in the case of full cancellation, refunds cannot be issued even if the program changes due to unavoidable circumstances.