General ticket sales began on February 28th for the musical concert "The World of Musical Stars," which will bring together musical stars from Japan, New York's Broadway, and South Korea and be held at Bunkamura Orchard Hall (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) on April 25th and 26th. Some of the songs that will be performed have also been announced, along with a special interview that will be included in a pamphlet that will be sold exclusively at the venue on the day of the concert.
The concert will feature Matthew Morrison, Shoma Kai, Kim So-hyang, and Lumina, and will feature music from various international repertoires, including "Wicked," "Chicago," "Marie Antoinette," "Death Note," "Elisabeth," and "Marie Curie."
The concert on April 25th will open at 6pm and the show will begin at 6:30pm. On the 26th, the doors will open at 11:30am and the show will begin at noon. Tickets are priced at 20,000 yen for SS seats (first floor seats within the first five rows), 15,000 yen for S seats, 11,000 yen for A seats, and 9,000 yen for B seats. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Pia, Kyodo Tokyo, Lawson Ticket, e+, Bunkamura, and e+ Inbound Reception (first come, first served). SS seats are only available through Ticket Pia.
The scheduled songs are as follows (titles omitted):
<Duet Singing> Kai Shoma x Kim So Hyang: "All I DO" from "Marie Antoinette" (sung in Korean) ▽ Kai Shoma x Lumina: "As Long As You're Mine" from "Wicked" (sung in English) ▽ Kim So Hyang x Lumina: "You Are My Star" from "Marie Curie" (sung in Korean) <All Singing> "Classic Musical Medley" ▽ "Don't Stop Believin'" from "Glee" <Solo Singing> "All I Care About" from Matthew Morrison's "CHICAGO" and "Finding Neverland" Medley ▽ Kai Shoma: "Not My Father's Son" from "Kinky Boots" ▽ Kim So Hyang: "The Life I Never Led" from "Sister Act" and "I Belong to Me" from "Elisabeth" ▽ Lumina: "I'd Give My Life For You" from "Miss Saigon"
◇Interview with Matthew Morrison and Shoma Kai
--What was your impression when you first met in person?
Matthew: I got a very warm impression from him, and even though we live in different countries, I felt a connection with him, like we share the same feelings. I was also struck by how handsome he was.
Kai: He has a strong image from "Glee," and I thought he was definitely a star! I was really impressed when he said, "Before I'm an actor, I'm a father," during a self-introduction segment on a radio show we co-starred in, where he talked about his strengths. It was the first time we had invited someone from overseas as a guest, and it was a new perspective for me, and I was really moved by the way he not only talked about his work, but also introduced what kind of person he was.
Matthew: It took me a long time to realize that... (laughs).
--What was the first musical you ever saw?
Matthew: I saw "Miss Saigon" when I was 10 years old. I sat in my seat in the theater and watched the story unfold with the music, and there was also dancing. I thought it was so beautiful and unusual, and it really made an impression on me. It changed the way I looked at theater, and I thought it was a wonderful world, and I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.
--Both Kai and Lumina will be appearing in the Japanese version of "Miss Saigon" this fall!
Matthew: Oh really! What role will you be playing?
Kai-san: It's Chris!
Matthew: Chris, that's tough! That's a high-pitched role!
-What about you, Kai-san?
Kai: I think I saw "The Lion King" when I was about 8 years old. However, I didn't understand much of the story at the time, and I remember going home and imitating the characters.
Matthew: It's amazing that an 8-year-old can sit and watch the whole show! I took my son to see "The Lion King" when he turned 8, but he got so sad when his father died that he couldn't watch it anymore, so he went home crying after just one act.
Kai: That was Simba's state of mind.
--What songs are you each looking forward to singing?
Matthew: Rather than any particular song, I'm really looking forward to singing duets and groups in multiple languages. I think the greatest appeal of this concert is that we'll all be sharing our cultures and languages while singing with emotion into one sound, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of chemistry will occur and what new forms of expression we'll be able to create.
Kai: Matthew has sung "Don't Stop Believin'" many times because it's a familiar song from "Glee," but I think Japanese audiences are looking forward to hearing it sung live. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to it. For me personally, it's a rare opportunity to see Matthew in Japan, but singing with him is even more special, so I'm looking forward to it to the fullest.
Matthew: You'll be singing next to me, so you'll have the best seat and be able to hear the music up close! (laughs)
