Prior to the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the Japan Foundation will be hosting “Olha Pro Céu～Look at hte Sky～,” a two-day joint Japan-Brazil pop concert in Rio de Janeiro.

This concert is part of a comprehensive cultural exchange program, coinciding with the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, being jointly held by Japan and Brazil in the areas of the visual, film, and performing arts from July through August before the start of the Games in an initiative to ultimately pass the baton from Rio to Tokyo.

The theme song of this concert, “Sukiyaki,” was released in 1961, performed by Kyu Sakamoto, and became a number one hit in the United States in 1963. The song continued to spread throughout the world, including Brazil, becoming a global hit that enjoyed long-lived popularity. The main themes of the concert are the universal feelings of sorrow and the hope that can be born therein, which are expressed in this song that transcends time and nationality and is still sung today.

Overview

Outline

Dates	Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30, 2016 8:30 p.m.
Venue	Vivo Rio (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Performers	<Japan> Marcia Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra <Brazil> Vanessa Da Mata Emicida <Special guest (appearance on video)> The Favela Brass Project *The Favela Brass Project is a local non-profit organization that provides English and music education to the children of the favelas in Rio de Janeiro.