Manfred Gurlitt: The Conductor Who Built Japanese Opera

Manfred Gurlitt, a German composer and conductor, found safety in Japan after fleeing from Nazi persecution. He was born in Berlin in 1890 and trained under Engelbert Humperdinck, later becoming the music director at Bremen Stadtstheater in 1924, where he set up a Society for New Music. His Jewish background led to the Nazis banning his work, and although he joined the party in 1933, he was kicked out in 1937. After a Gestapo raid in May 1939, he escaped to Japan on a study visa. By 1941, he was the chief conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic, showcasing pieces by Mozart, Wagner, and Strauss. Gurlitt established his own opera company in 1951 and produced the first Japanese version of Die Zauberflöte. He passed away in 1972, and his legacy shaped a generation of Japanese opera singers.