Akiko Sawayama is a Japanese lyric soprano based in Italy, internationally active in opera and concert repertoire. She is widely appreciated for her expressive voice, refined musicality, and solid vocal technique rooted in the Italian operatic tradition.
“Akiko Sawayama’s supreme voice astonishingly filled the theatre”
(Corriere dell’Opera)
“Her richly expressive singing resonates deeply in the hearts of listeners”
(Yomiuri Shimbun)
Nurtured by the Italian vocal tradition, Akiko Sawayama combines solid technical mastery with a supple and deeply nuanced expressive range, establishing a strong and distinctive presence on both operatic and concert stages.
In 2013, she portrayed Violetta in Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata at the Teatro Rosetum in Milan, earning high praise from audiences and critics alike for the refinement and emotional depth of her interpretation.
Her European debut took place in 2008 as Donna Elvira in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Since then, she has performed regularly in Italy, singing roles such as Mimì and Musetta in Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème and Adina in Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore at Teatro Manzoni, Arena Martinelli Pertile, and other important theaters.
In 2016, she took on the lead role of Nukata no Ōkimi in the Japanese opera Manyōshū, performed with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the composer Maestro Akira Senju, a collaboration that highlighted the versatility and breadth of her musical personality.
Alongside her operatic work, she maintains an active career as a concert soprano, performing symphonic and oratorio repertoire.
Since 2015, she has frequently been invited as a soloist for Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in commemorative concerts, collaborating with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa.
She has also appeared as a soloist in Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël and Haydn’s Harmoniemesse in prominent concert seasons and sacred music festivals in Italy, including Teatro Fraschini.
She regularly gives recitals in Europe and Japan, featuring programs of European lieder and international art songs, performing in major cities such as Rome and Milan, as well as in numerous locations across Japan.
She has appeared in prestigious theaters and concert halls including Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Teatro Fraschini in Pavia, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Ōji Hall, Suntory Hall, and Aubade Hall.
She has shared the stage with internationally renowned artists such as Ugo Benelli and Fabio Armiliato. Her extensive performances with her mentors, the late Angelo Loforese and Luis Baragiora, represent a fundamental chapter in her artistic journey.
She also participated in the official concert for the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, in the presence of the then President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, an event broadcast live on RAI Storia.
Her most recent performances have been featured on NHK, NHK Radio, and TBS.
She is a member of the Japan Federation of Musicians.
AWARDS
First Prize, Audience Prize, Critics’ Prize
– 31st International Competition “P. Boni”, Italy, 2013
Second Prize
– 1st International Competition “Jole di Maria”, Italy, 2013
Second Prize
– 81st Music Competition of Japan, 2012
Best Belcanto Award
– 8th International Competition “City of Lissone”, Italy, 2012
Second Prize
– 1st International KAWAI Competition, 2012
First Prize
– 16th International Competition Radebeul
“Wandertheaterfestival”, Germany, 2011
Education
&Training
Born in Takaoka, Japan, she began her vocal studies under the guidance of Sachiko Kukihara and Keiko Sawayama.
She graduated in Vocal Performance from Musashino Academia Musicae with a degree equivalent to a Master’s degree in Italy, where she was selected as one of the outstanding vocal performers of the academic year.
She subsequently pursued advanced studies with Elena Obraztsova, Angelo Loforese, Doina Dinu Palade, and Luis Baragiora.
In 2016, she completed the Second-Level Degree in Vocal Performance at the “F. Vittadini” Conservatory of Music in Pavia, Italy, graduating with highest honors (110/lode) and distinguished as the leading student of the academic year.
Alongside her performance career, she holds a teaching qualification in music issued by Japanese public institutions. She is also active in the training of young singers as an instructor with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.