Popular scenes from operas and ballets will be performed by top singers and dancers from Japan and Italy in the "New Year Opera Palace Gala" at the New National Theatre Tokyo on Jan. 5 and 6.

In the first program, the third act of "Don Quixote," a classic ballet based on the Spanish novel "Don Quixote de la Mancha," will be performed. The ballet music was composed by Austrian Leon Minkus (1826-1917) and the dance was choreographed by legendary French dancer Marius Petipa (1818-1910).

The third act of "Don Quixote" is the wedding of a Spanish couple, a young barber named Basil and Kitri, an inn-owner's daughter.

Basil will be performed by Ryuji Yamamoto on Jan. 5 and by Nozomu Haga on Jan. 6. Kitri will be played by Hiromi Terashima on Jan. 5 and by Miwa Motojima on Jan. 6. All the dancers are members of New National Theatre Ballet, Tokyo.

In the second program, nine famous songs from various operas will be sung by Japanese and Italian singers.

Soprano Mihoko Kinoshita will sing "Tacea la notta placida" from "Il Trovatore" by Giuseppe Verdi. The New National Theatre Chorus will sing "Fuoco di gioia!" from Verdi's "Otello." Italian tenor Giuseppe Giacomini and soprano Serena Farnocchia will sing "Gia nella notta densa" from "Otello."

Four songs from the opera "Tosca" will be sung by Italian and Japanese singers. "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" will be sung by Farnocchia and "E lucevan le stelle" by tenor Taro Ichihara.

The music will be performed by the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra.

Performances start at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 and 6. The New National Theatre Tokyo is connected to the central exit of Hatsudai Station on the Keio New Line. Ticket are ¥12,600 for S seats, ¥10,500 for A seats, ¥7,350 for B seats, ¥4,200 for C seats, and ¥3,150 for D seats. For reservations, call the box office at (03) 5352-9999 or Ticket Pia at 0570-02-9999 (P-code 303-801).