Toledo Opera to Host a South Pacific Tuesday Talk

Published Tuesday, January 28, 2025 9:00 am

Toledo Opera will host Roots and Routes: A South Pacific Tuesday Talk on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. at The Toledo Lucas County Public Library – Main Library (325 N. Michigan St., Toledo, OH 43604, Meeting Room 2). This panel discussion will explore the history of Japanese emigration to the industrial Midwest and the long journey to build a home in this region. This event is free and open to the public.

Presented as a companion to Toledo Opera’s mainstage production of South Pacific, this event seeks to tell the full story of America’s war in the South Pacific, highlighting diverse perspectives and untold narratives while connecting them to today’s pressing issues.

This event features four distinguished panelists: Hajime “Jimmy” Kishimori, Consul General of Japan in Detroit; Mary Kamidoi, a survivor of a World War II Japanese internment camp; Keiko Hahn, a World War II Japanese war bride who made her home in Lima, Ohio; and Akiko Jones, educator, community leader, and founder of BGSU’s Peace & Conflict Studies program. Together, they will share their personal experiences and reflections on resilience, cultural identity, and the pursuit of belonging. The discussion will also address current challenges facing Japanese-American communities and broader issues of immigration, identity, and cultural preservation.

This thought-provoking conversation will aim to bridge history and contemporary realities, connecting art, community, and dialogue to illuminate the enduring impact of World War II and its resonance today. The discussion will include a free preview of South Pacific as well as the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to the opening night of South Pacific. This event is sponsored in part by Ohio Humanities, and presented in partnership with Toledo Lucas County Public Library.

For Toledo Opera general director, James M. Norman, the upcoming Tuesday Talk, Roots and Route, represents an opportunity to deepen the community’s understanding of history through diverse perspectives: “We believe that the power of opera lies in its ability to connect us – to history, to each other, and to the world around us. With South Pacific, we are thrilled to engage our community through this timeless story of love, resilience, and cultural understanding. With Roots and Routes, we aim to spark conversations and foster connections that resonate far beyond the stage.”

"We’re incredibly grateful to Ohio Humanities for supporting this project and helping us share these important stories” shared Toledo Opera development officer Leah Whitaker. “With South Pacific, Toledo Opera wanted to make sure we weren’t just telling one side of history. Roots & Routes gives audiences the chance to hear other perspectives directly from those who lived through World War II, especially members of the Japanese community, whose stories are often overlooked. Understanding history means listening to multiple voices, and by sharing these firsthand experiences, we can explore the complexities of this era with honesty, depth, and empathy."

More about Tuesday Talks: Tuesday Talks are a series of free public panel presentations convening scholars, artist, and Toledo community members to discuss the contemporary relevance of key themes of opera productions.

More about South Pacific: Just in time for Valentine’s Day and the 75^th anniversary of its premiere, Toledo Opera presents South Pacific. Winner of 10 Tony Awards in 1950 including Best Musical and Best Original Score, South Pacific debuts to Toledo Opera audiences in a new production brought to life by conductor J. Ernest Green and stage director James M. Norman. Based on the anecdotes of a real-life U.S. Navy commander who was stationed on an island, South Pacific follows two intercultural love stories: Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, a French plantation owner on the island who has two children from his late Polynesian wife; at the same time, U.S. Lieutenant Cable falls for a beautiful island native named Liat. Both Americans find themselves struggling to reconcile their own cultural prejudices with their amorous feelings, all the while under the dark cloud of a war that is coming ever closer to their island paradise. South Pacific stars Claire Leyden as Nellie Forbush, Metropolitan Opera Baritone Keith Phares (The Merry Widow and Cinderella) as Emile de Becque, and Mike Schwitter as Lt. Joseph Cable. South Pacific will be presented in English with English captions. South Pacific is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.

Toledo Opera will perform South Pacific at the Valentine Theatre on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 16 at 2 p.m. To learn more about South Pacific cast and production team and to buy tickets, visit: toledoopera.org. For media access, please contact Rachael Cammarn at rcammarn@toledoopera.org.