Young Japanese-Australian actors reconnect to Japan on stage

Grace Chance and Coco Yamaguchi are Japanese-Australian actors in Sydney. They are currently apearing in an Opera Australian's production 'Madama Butterfly' as actors.

Japanese-Australian actors Coco Yamaguchi(left) and Grace Chance. Credit: Opera Australia

The cast of Opera Australia's production of Madama Butterfly on Sydney Harbour at Mrs Macquaries Point Credit: �Keith Saunders

Ms Chance's mother is Japanese and Ms Yamaguchi has a Japanese father. They are second generation immigrants, both were born and grew up in Australia.

The two aspiring actors are currently performing for Opera Australia's production 'Madama Butterfly' as actors. This is the first time for them to perform in an opera.

The setting of 'Madama Butterfly' is in Nagasaki, Japan, during the Meiji period (1868～1912). First and second generation Japanese immigrants are involved in the production not only as actors but also as stage crew and members of the production team.

Ms Chance and Ms Yamaguchi have Japanese backgrounds but both grew up in Australia. How do they bring out their "Japaneseness" when they perform?

In the audio, Ms Chance and Ms Yamagichi tell us how they landed their roles and their experience of re-connecting to Japan through this work. They also share how special it is to spend time with Japanese and Japanese-Australian cast and crew.

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