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A Vision for Children's Opera

The Nikikai BLOC Pocket Opera, founded in April 2017, is a group of opera singers affiliated with the Nikikai in Tokyo. Committed to promoting music arts in local communities, the group's motto is to bring high-quality opera performances right into people's pockets, making superb art accessible to everyone.

Dreaming Big: "Children's Opera Dining Room"

Each year, we focus on a particular vision during our "April Dream" initiative. Our current dream is to expand the concept of a "Children's Opera Dining Room" across various regions of Japan. This initiative aims to create a welcoming space filled with music and connection, turning opera into a cultural experience that feels ordinary rather than exclusive.

Nationwide Performances of Hansel and Gretel

To accomplish this ambitious goal, our immediate plan is to deliver ten performances of the opera Hansel and Gretel with original Japanese lyrics. Key features of this adaptation include:

• - Japanese Lyrics: Translated in a way that children can easily understand.
• - Compact Ensemble: Designed to be performed with a small group, making it easier to bring to different venues.
• - Localized Content: Tailored to fit the needs of various schools and communities.

This project allows us to showcase the charm of opera without compromising quality, as we bring it to every corner of Japan.

Collaboration with Educational Institutions

For the fiscal year 2025, we collaborated with Tokyo Gakugei University’s Art and Athletic Education Center and Tsujicho Culinary Institute Tokyo to conduct workshops and performances of Hansel and Gretel. This partnership is a first for us and aims to:

• - Create music experiences where children can actively participate.
• - Map out a new practical model for collaboration between education and the arts.
• - Establish a sustainable system that connects arts and education.
• - Cultivate young educators and musicians.

Our creative efforts go beyond just performances, fostering relationships through culture and promoting co-creation among communities, education, and the arts.

A Shared Journey of Creation

University students took the lead in various collaborative projects, from composing to organizing workshops with children. During rehearsals, students and young participants engaged in icebreaker activities, showcasing their artwork on stage.

Post-performance, we organized a gathering where children, their parents, cast members, and our team shared their experiences, revealing messages of joy and connection.

From Audience to Performers

Since 2009, our representative, Mari Tomita, has partnered with local maternity and social welfare groups to host mini-concerts targeting families with newborns. This initiative has been continued under the Nikikai BLOC Pocket Opera since 2018. A memorable moment occurred in 2025 when a little girl who had attended our previous concerts finally shared the stage in a performance of Hansel and Gretel—a poignant illustration of how art can cultivate enduring connections between individuals over time.

In our 2025 performance, we welcomed back children who had initially participated in the 2023 premiere, further demonstrating the growing bonds created by our initiatives.

A Turn Toward a Brighter Future

We are currently expanding our repertoire with various operas, including Ravel's Children and Magic, which premiered in August 2025. Over the past nine years, we have been successful in developing several performances:

• - Mozart's The Magic Flute (Digest)
• - Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel (Original Japanese Script)
• - Puccini's Madama Butterfly (Digest)
• - Ravel's Children and Magic

This extensive repertoire allows us to customize performances to fit various community needs, whether for schools or local events. If you feel inspired to collaborate, we welcome inquiries and will tailor our offerings to suit individual community requirements.

Continuing Our Dream

As we enter our tenth year of operation in April 2026, our mission continues to evolve. Our aim is to embed the concept of the "Children's Opera Dining Room" as a routine part of our societal fabric, and we remain committed to the ongoing practice of connecting community, education, and the arts.

The Nikikai BLOC Pocket Opera is a member-driven group under the Tokyo Nikikai Foundation. We aim to deliver the magic of opera through small-scale presentations and workshops designed to suit community needs.

For queries, please contact us at [email protected].

The "April Dream" initiative encourages enterprises to share dreams they wish to realize by April 1, and we are wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving this vision.