The Belcanto Opera Festival in Japan 2019 proudly presents the comic opera "The Triumph of Honor (Il Trionfo dell'onore)" by Sicilian composer Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725). This opera premiered in Naples in 1718 where Scarlatti served as court musician and was very well received, but was only performed for the royal family and nobles. Surprisingly, it took more than 200 years to be staged again (in 1937 Laughton, England). Scarlatti, also considered the father of the Neapolitan school , composed this comedy for music in Naples, based on the script written by Francesco Antonio Tullio (1660-1737) of Naples of the same generation. According to the script, the story corresponds to the title role of the opera "Don Giovanni" of Mozart, that is, Riccardo (soprano: travesti – performed by opposite sex) and Donna Elvira and their drama of love, together with Leonora (mezzo soprano) who has been chasing him from Lucca to Pisa. The biggest difference with "Don Giovanni" is that Riccardo in the end says goodbye to his prodigal life, and is happily married to Leonora.

Riccardo Albenori is a young man who arrives in the outskirts of Pisa from Lucca trying to flee from his various amorous affairs. He is hoping that his problems will die down while he quietly waits at his uncle’s mansion. Miho Sakoda (S) who received high acclaim for her lyrical voice in the title role of "Madama Butterfly" this year will perform Riccardo Albenori. Tomoko Maiya (MS) will sing Leonora Dorini who was allured by Riccardo and afterwards abandoned. Leonora’s younger brother Erminio Dorini will be performed by Italy's young counter-tenor, Raffaele Pe (CT counter tenor), up-and-rising singer attracting attention all around the world. Hare Ito (S) will sing Doralice Rossetti, who sways between Erminio and Riccardo. Yusuke Kobori (T Tenor) will perform Flaminio Castravacca, Riccardo’s uncle, a womanizer always on the look for young girls though he has a fiancee Cornelia. Doralice’s aunt Cornelia Buffacci, performed by a tenor in disguise, will be sung by Masayuki Yamauchi (T). Yuka Tajima (MS) will sing Rosina Caruccia, maid to Cornelia. Patrizio La Placa (Bs-Br bass-baritone) will perform Riccardo’s roudy friend Capitano Rodimarte Bombarda. This stage will be a collaboration between singers of the Fujiwara Opera and the singers who performed in this opera at The Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca, Italy in 2018.

Antonio Greco will take the baton. Greco has acted as chorus conductor at various opera theaters such as Cremona and Lausanne etc. He has also conducted the baroque opera "Baccanali" (one act stage) composed by Agostino Steffani at the Valle d’Itria Music Festival 2016. Giacomo Ferraù and Libero Stelluti, directors of this opera in 2018, will again direct this production.