Joyful Spirit in Full Swing at Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival

On the morning of the festival’s second day, Matsumoto transformed into a lively celebration. A grand parade brought together 39 brass bands, featuring around 1,500 musicians from across Nagano Prefecture — from middle and high school students to college ensembles, community groups, and amateur players. For more than two hours, their music filled the air as they marched along the city’s main pedestrian streets under brilliant sunshine, drawing crowds into the festival spirit.In the afternoon, the focus shifted indoors to the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre, where Nodoka Okisawa led the Saito Kinen Orchestra in a spirited performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Directed by Laurent Pelly and sung by an international cast, the staging combined wit, fantasy, and musical spontaniety, offering audiences a rare enjoyment of the festival’s main programme.Filmed on August 24 in Matsumoto, Japan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klassikom.substack.com