Motoki Ishii

Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Motoki Ishii graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Music, majoring in Vocal Music. He completed his Master’s degree in Vocal Performance at the same university and further honed his skills in the Advanced Course of the 5th class at the Suntory Hall Opera Academy. Upon graduation, he received the Acanthus Music Award and the Doseikai Award.

He was awarded Second Prize (Grand Prize Runner-Up) and the Jury’s Special Prize at the 4th Nikko International Music Festival Vocal Competition, Second Prize at the 30th Takarazuka Vega Music Competition, and was a finalist at the 43rd Iizuka Newcomer Music Competition.

In March 2020, he transitioned from baritone to tenor. Since then, he has performed with various orchestras both in Japan and abroad, including the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Qingdao Symphony Orchestra.

His concert repertoire includes soloist appearances in Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de Confessore, Schubert’s Mass no.2 in G major, D. 167, Mass no.5 in A flat major, D. 678, and Beethoven’s Symphony no.9. He made his operatic debut in 2021 as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata in a Fresh Opera production by Suntory Hall.

His subsequent roles include Puccini’s La Bohème for Fujisawa Civic Opera (2022) and Shimane Prefectural Opera (2023); Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera for the “Spring Festival in Tokyo 2023 - Italian Opera Academy in Tokyo vol. 3”; and Cherubini’s Medea (Japanese premiere) at the NISSAY OPERA 2023 celebrating the 60th anniversary of Nissay Theatre. He also appeared in Rossini’s Otello for the 50th anniversary of the Fujisawa Civic Opera and the 2024 national co-production of La Bohème, further expanding his operatic repertoire across major productions in Japan.

In 2022, he performed in the "Rising Star Vocalists Series 2022–III" hosted by the Japan Performing Arts Foundation (NBS) and Nikkei Inc., collaborating with world-renowned soprano Lisette Oropesa and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Francesco Lanzillotta.

In June 2023, he made his international debut at the Shangyin Opera House, performing the role of the Prince in Tan Dun’s opera TEA: A Mirror of Soul under the composer’s direction — the first Japanese singer cast in this role.

Most recently, in 2024, he appeared as the Messenger in Verdi's Aida conducted by Riccardo Muti at the Spring Festival in Tokyo 2024, receiving critical acclaim. The performance was broadcast on NHK’s Premium Theater. And in March 2025, he also appeared in Tan Dun’s opera TEA: A Mirror of Soul in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, conducted by Tan Dun, where his outstanding acting skills were highly praised.