Eptazar Select Concert No. 71 Tadao Yoshie & Chie Hirai

Tadao Yoshie, 84-year-old baritone
He has gained rich experience as the first baritone of a prestigious opera house in Germany, performing with distinguished singers such as Carreras and Pavarotti, and after returning to Japan, he spent time with music in his hometown of Shinshu, pursuing its profound meaning, and sings music with a fresh and beautiful voice even as he ages.

Chie Hirai, a virtuoso fortepiano player who admires Tadao Yoshie's music and personality.
She studied fortepiano in Holland and has been active throughout Europe, and after returning to Japan, she is one of the few fortepiano specialists in the world. Her rich musicality is highly acclaimed by her co-stars.

The rich world of Schubert's "The Maiden in the Water Mill" will surely strike a chord with the audience.

Profile of Tadao Yoshie
Tadao Yoshie graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music with a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and completed the graduate course at the same university. While still a graduate student, he made his debut in the title role in "Don Giovanni. He received the Nikikai Newcomer Award and the M.B.C.A.J. Award from the Foreign Critics Club.
1969 Studied at the Northwest German Music University in Detmold, Germany, and from 1975 was the resident solo baritone at the prestigious Frankfurt Staatsoper for 12 years. She has performed with Hans Hotter, Pavarotti, Carreras, and many other distinguished singers. She has also sung extensively as a soloist at music festivals and concerts throughout Europe.
Returned to Japan from Germany in 1987. She has been active in her hometown of Shinshu, contributing to the development of local music culture and exploring the depths of singing, and has developed a deep relationship of trust with piano master Jörg Dames, with whom she performed at the age of over 70. Now, at the age of 84, she continues to create an ever deeper and richer world that captivates the hearts of her listeners.

Chie Hirai Profile
Chie Hirai was introduced to fortepiano while studying piano at Toho Gakuen School of Music. After graduating from Toho Gakuen College, she studied fortepiano at the Royal Conservatory of Music in the Netherlands, where she graduated at the top of her master's course. He has won many prizes in competitions, including the 3rd prize at the Bruges International Competition for Old Music and the 1st prize at the IYAP International Competition (Belgium). Based in the Netherlands, she has performed extensively throughout Europe, and returned to Japan in 2012, where she is one of the few fortepiano specialists in the world.
She has released 15 albums in Japan and abroad. Mendelssohn: Complete Works for Cello and Piano" with Hidemi Suzuki won the Excellence Prize at the 61st Japan Arts Festival.