Opening Ceremony
Outline of plans
Venue
EXPO Dome
Date
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Time
2:00 PM to 3:40 PM
Number of invited guests
About 2,500
Summary of program
The opening ceremony comprises three main parts. The first involves speeches and other functions in line with the protocol of World Expositions. The second features an orchestral performance of EXPO 2005 Symphony. And the third part features a special program called “Welcome to EXPO 2005 AICHI, JAPAN,” in which the event's message will be dynamically transmitted to the rest of the world.
| Time | Part | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 PM | Part One Ceremonies |
Opening remarks Singing of the Japanese national anthem, raising of the Japanese flag Raising of the International Exhibitions Bureau flag and the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan flag Entrance and introduction of participating countries and international organizations Speech |
| 2:40 PM | Part Two EXPO 2005 Symphony |
Performance by the EXPO Super World Orchestra |
| 3:00 PM | Part Three “Welcome to EXPO 2005 AICHI, JAPAN” |
Special program to transmit the message of EXPO 2005 to Japan and the rest of the world |
Aim of the opening ceremony performances
Today, we are faced with the task of ensuring that the Earth continues to hold out the abundant hope it did in the past. In the twentieth century, the human race built a civilization based on the exploitation, subjugation, and transformation of nature. The pursuit of material wealth, however, depleted our natural resources. In the twenty-first century, we must come to terms with this legacy of limited resources. The time has come to live in harmony with nature and rediscover its wisdom so that we can create a society whose development is sustainable.
The opening ceremony of EXPO 2005 AICHI, JAPAN is built on this realization.
In 2005, the world will gather together in Aichi Prefecture. There, we can weave together a fabric for a new global society; we can stand together, exchange smiles, and share the wisdom of the world, felt and enjoyed with all our senses and experienced with our whole being. The opening ceremony of the first World Exposition of the twenty-first century must serve as a venue that radiates wisdom and provides a springboard for achieving mutual understanding among all the regions of the world. The world is one. The cries for love and peace welling up in Aichi are sounding across the skies of Seto and Nagakute.
Okazaki Sakae
Producer supervisor
Producer Team
Producer supervisor
Okazaki Sakae
Born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1930. Director and playwright.
Music: conductor
Sado Yutaka
Born in Kyoto in 1961. After receiving a fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Festival in 1987, he studied with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. In 1989 he took first place in the Besancon International Conductors Competition in France, and in 1995 he won first prize in the Leonard Bernstein Jerusalem International Conducting Competition. At present, Sado serves as the principal conductor of the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux in Paris, France. He also serves as guest conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and other world-class orchestras throughout the year. Since 2002 he has served as arts director for the Hyogo Arts and Culture Association.
Music: composer and arrangement
Watanabe Toshiyuki
*In addition to the above individuals, new members are scheduled to be appointed as the details of the program are decided on.
Orchestra
Expo Super World Orchestra
In order to make the opening ceremony a truly international event that fosters exchanges at the global level and befits EXPO 2005's position as the first World Exposition of the twenty-first century, about 100 acclaimed musicians from the world's top orchestras, most of whom serve as concertmasters and soloists, will come together to form a grand orchestra for the occasion.
The orchestra will be conducted by Sado Yutaka, and the position of concertmaster will be filled by Volkhard Steude of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
The major orchestras to which the members belong: [alphabetic order]
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Denmark Radio Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean National Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Santa Cecilia Academy Orchestra, Spanish Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, as well as orchestras in South Africa and South America.
Orchestras in Japan include the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Central Aichi Symphony Orchestra.
Peter Schmidl
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Principal Clarinet
Volkhard Steude
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Concertmaster
Peter Pecha
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Principal Viola
Werner Resel
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Principal Cello
Hansjörg Schellenberger
Berliner Philharmoniker, Former Solo Oboe
Boris Garlitsky
London Philharmnic Orchestra, Concertmaster
Wen-sinn Yang
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, First Solo Cello
Danny Matsukawa
Philadelphia Orchestra, First Solo Bossoon
Yilin PAN
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Concertmastar
Jürgen Schwietering
Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaste
