(18 September 2018) Over three hundred artists including orchestra, choir, ballet, technicians, and staff of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma have interpreted in Japan two masterpieces of Italian opera: "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi and "Manon Lescaut" by Giacomo Puccini. In recent weeks, the Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo honoured "La Traviata" with over fifteen minutes of applause, with the performance of Francesca Dotto (Violetta), Antonio Poli (Alfredo), and Ambrogio Maestri (Giorgio Germont). "The Japanese public was struck by the spectacular direction by Sofia Coppola, stemming from an idea by Valentino Garavani (his costumes), and Giancarlo Giammetti. Great acclaim also for the director Jader Bignamini, the chorus directed by Roberto Gabbiani and the ballet choreography by Stéphane Phavorin. The premiere of "Manon Lescaut", directed by Chiara Muti, took place on September 16th, at the Kanagawa Kenmin Hall in Yokohama. A great round of applause with standing ovation greeted the direction of Donato Renzetti and the protagonists Kristine Opolais (Manon), Gregory Kunde (Des Grieux) and Alessandro Luongo (Lescaut) " as reported by the Italian Embassy in Tokyo.