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The Japanese soprano, Kumiko Oshita, studied at Aichi University of the Arts in Japan. In 1972, she moved to Germany where she studied Opera/Vocal Music at the Universität der Künste Berlin as a DAAD scholarship student, graduating in 1975.
After graduating, Kumiko Oshita signed an exclusive contract with the Städtischen Bühnen Heidelberg (1975-1978), and began her career as an opera singer. She quickly became the declared darling of the public. Her extensive role repertoire there included: Susanna in W.A. Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Mimí in La Bohème, Pamina in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Zerlina in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni, Euridice in Monteverdi's Orfeo, Helena in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Carolina in D. Cimarosa's Il matrimonio segreto, Filide/Celia in Haydn's La fedeltà premiata, Romilda in George Frideric Handel's Xerxes, Micaela in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos (Director: Frank Günther). A special working relationship existed during this time with the directors Siegfried Schoenbohm, a Felsenstein student (among others with Le nozze di Figaro, La Bohème, La fedeltà premiata, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and John Dew (among others with Carmen, Orfeo, Il matrimonio segreto).
The striking beauty of Kumiko Oshita's soprano led in 1978 - directly from the engagement in (small) Heidelberg, which was a 'career jump' that could be considered unusual at the time - to an engagement at the Bayreuth Festival (Flower Girl in Parsifal 1978). From 1978, following her engagement in Heidelberg, she worked at the Staatstheater Hannover and then at the Staatstheater Kassel (until 1991). In Kassel there was again a collaboration with Siegfried Schoenbohm, e.g. in Der Ring des Nibelungen (including as Freia). During this time she continued to expand her repertoire - in Don Giovanni, to name just one example, Donna Anna and Donna Elvira became her roles. Other major theaters: Hannover, Frankfurt, Bayreuth, Freiburg, Würzburg, Wiesbaden, Kiel, München Staatsoper, Gärtnerplaz. Main repertoire included also: Opera: Lauretta in G. Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Contessa in W.A. Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Desdemona in G. Verdi's Otello, Woglinde in R. Wagner's Das Rheingold; Oratorio: J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion BWV 245 & Matthäus-Passion BWV 244, Johannes Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem, Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah, W.A. Mozart's Mass in C minor, L. Boccherini's Stabat Mater, etc.
In 1992, Kumiko Oshita returned to Japan, and taught as Singing Professor at Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts, Faculty of Music, Graduate School / Department of Vocal Music; Awarded Professor Emeritus in 2014. Since August 2014, she was Guest Professor of Singing/Opera at Nagoya University of Arts. She strived to nurture up-and-coming vocalists through the composition and direction of opera projects. She taught a wide range of subjects, including opera arias, oratorio arias, and German, Italian, and French songs, both professionally and privately. |
