This series explores topics surrounding women who began their careers in Japan around the time of the implementation of equal opportunities employment legislation in the mid-1980s. With many now reaching the age of retirement, it is hoped that their stories can provide insight and lessons for women in Japan¡¯s professional world today.
Suntory Hall, situated in the Akasaka area of central Tokyo, is nothing short of a shrine to classical music: It has hosted a star-studded roster of adoring conductors ¡ª from Herbert von Karajan, who famously called the hall ¡°a jewel box of sound,¡± to Seiji Ozawa, who served as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Vienna Philharmonic performs there regularly and boasts a special relationship with the hall ¡ª the hall has been inviting the orchestra to Japan since 1999.
Designed by one of the world¡¯s top acousticians, Yasuhisa Toyota, the hall was built as a cultural gift by Suntory, a beverage powerhouse best known for its premium whisky, beer, wine and other drinks. It opened in 1986 as Tokyo¡¯s first dedicated concert hall.
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