A Guide to Japanese Music and Performing Arts at Esplanade: February–April 2026 in Singapore
Source: Esplanade
From February to April 2026, Esplanade brings the best of Japanese music and performing arts to Singapore. This season features world-class musicians, innovative ensembles, and a theatrical adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.
Audiences can enjoy a diverse array of performances spanning theatre, vocal performances, jazz, and orchestral music—from ethereal singer-songwriter sets by Ichiko Aoba, to genre-defying jazz with Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, and majestic orchestral works by the NHK Symphony Orchestra. This is a rare opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of Japanese music, right in the heart of Singapore’s cultural scene.
Experience Japanese Music and Performing Arts at Esplanade: February–April 2026
This season features productions and concerts that have earned acclaim both in Japan and internationally. Enjoy world-class performances, discover new Japanese artists, and immerse yourself in a rich cultural experience.
Theatrical Play
(1) End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland based on the novel by Haruki Murakami (3-5 Apr 2026)
Vocal & Instrumental Music
(2) Ichiko Aoba with Taro Umebayashi & Musicians (22 Feb 2026)
Jazz & Contemporary Music
(3) Hiromi Uehara: Hiromi’s Sonicwonder (17 Mar 2026)
Orchestral & Classical Music
(4) NHK Symphony Orchestra Special Concert (29 Apr 2026)
(1) End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland based on the novel by Haruki Murakami (3-5 Apr 2026)
Source: Esplanade
Haruki Murakami’s acclaimed 1985 novel is brought to life in its world-premiere stage adaptation, unfolding across two parallel narratives that move between the cyberpunk world of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the surreal, enclosed realm of The End of the World. Blending dreamlike imagery with philosophical inquiry, the production captures the novel’s distinctive atmosphere through striking visuals and choreography.
The story follows data specialist Watashi, as his orderly life unravels in a near-future Tokyo, alongside Boku, who arrives in a mysterious walled city where he is separated from his shadow and risks losing his heart. Adapted for the stage for the first time by Ako Takahashi, the production premiered in Tokyo in January 2026 and arrives in Singapore in April as the first stop of its Asia and Europe tour—offering local audiences a rare chance to experience this ambitious and thought-provoking work.
Source: Esplanade
Featuring: Tatsuya Fujiwara, one of Japan’s most celebrated actors known for Battle Royale, Death Note, and Kaiji, alongside French director Philippe Decouflé, whose innovative visual language shapes this bold reimagining.
Performance Details:
Date & Time: Fri, 3 Apr, 8:00pm | Sat, 4 Apr, 8:00pm | Sun, 5 Apr, 2:00pm
Location: Esplanade Theatre
Running Time: 2 hrs 30 mins (intermission: 20 mins)
Tickets: From $68
Age: 13+
Language: Japanese with English subtitles
Buy tickets here.
(2) Ichiko Aoba with Taro Umebayashi & Musicians (22 Feb 2026)
Source: Esplanade
Since her 2010 debut Razorblade Maiden, Japanese singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ichiko Aoba has released seven albums, founded her independent label hermine, and performed across the world. Her music, often composed on just her classical guitar or a simple synthesiser, is simultaneously intimate and boundless—fragile yet unyielding, virtuosic yet understated. Her seventh album, Windswept Adan (2020), introduced lush orchestral arrangements to create a “soundtrack for a fictional film,” captivating listeners from TikTok to music forums, while her live performances remain elegantly minimal, relying on voice and guitar to enthrall audiences.
In 2025, Aoba released her eighth album, Luminescent Creatures, building on the motifs of Windswept Adan with sparser arrangements inspired by Japan’s Ryukyu Archipelago, reflecting the ocean’s beauty and power. Returning to Esplanade after her sold-out 2024 concert, she invites audiences once again into her dreamlike world of stillness and imagination.
Source: Esplanade
Featuring: Composer, Taro Umebayashi and his ensemble of strings and instruments, this performance brings her full artistic vision to life, blending intimate vocals with cinematic textures for an immersive musical experience.
Performance Details
Date & Time: Sun, 22 Feb, 5:00pm
Location: Esplanade Theatre
Running Time: 2 hrs (no intermission)
Tickets: From $75
Age: 6+
Language: Japanese
Buy tickets here.
(3) Hiromi Uehara: Hiromi’s Sonicwonder (17 Mar 2026)
Source: Esplanade
GRAMMY-winning Japanese pianist and composer, Hiromi Uehara is celebrated for her genre-blending virtuosity, merging jazz, prog-rock, classical, and more. In 2023, she debuted her dynamic four-piece band, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, with the critically acclaimed album Sonicwonderland, showcasing her vision as a composer and bandleader alongside trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, bassist Hadrien Feraud, and drummer Gene Coye.
Making their Singapore debut, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder promises an electrifying night of adventurous improvisation and breathtaking artistry—a rare chance to experience one of the most inventive quartets in modern music.
Source: Esplanade
Featuring: Hiromi Uehara (piano) with Hiromi’s Sonicwonder ensemble.
Performance Details
Date & Time: Tue, 17 Mar, 8:00pm
Location: Esplanade Theatre
Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins (no intermission)
Tickets: From $75
Age: 6+
Language: Japanese
Buy tickets here.
(4) NHK Symphony Orchestra Special Concert (29 Apr 2026)
Source: Esplanade
The NHK Symphony Orchestra returns to Singapore for the first time in 24 years with a special concert celebrating the 60th anniversary of Singapore–Japan diplomatic relations. Established in 1926 and recognised for its precision and polish, the NHK Symphony Orchestra has toured internationally for decades and remains one of Japan’s most prestigious orchestras, marking its centenary year in 2026.
The concert’s programme juxtaposes works that celebrate both Japanese and Western orchestral traditions. It opens with Divertimento for the Orchestra by Yuzo Toyama, a piece drawing on Japanese musical influences, and continues with Prokofiev’s fiery Piano Concerto No. 3. After intermission, audiences will hear Strauss’s dramatic symphonic poem Don Juan, followed by Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes: Four Sea Interludes, a work inspired by the sea—a fitting musical symbol of connection for the event.
Source: Esplanade
Featuring:
Tatsuya Shimono, Permanent Conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, whose international career includes leading major orchestras across Europe and Asia.
Kyohei Sorita, pianist and silver medallist at the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition, making his Singapore debut with his signature performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Sorita is recognised by Forbes as one of Asia’s most influential young artists.
Performance Details
Date & Time: Wed, 29 Apr, 7:30pm
Location: Esplanade Concert Hall
Running Time: 2 hrs (intermission: 20mins)
Tickets: From $50
Age: 6+
Language: Japanese
Buy tickets here.
Celebrate the artistry of Japan’s finest musicians at Esplanade this February–April. With theatre, jazz, orchestral works, and ethereal vocal performances, this season offers a unique journey through Japanese music and performing arts—all in Singapore’s cultural heart.
*This article is brought to you in partnership with The Esplanade.
Enjoyed reading our articles? Check out others below!
From February to April 2026, Esplanade hosts a standout lineup of Japanese music and performing arts, featuring Ichiko Aoba, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and a stage adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Discover must-see performances spanning theatre, jazz, and orchestral music in Singapore.