Japanese conductor Ozawa to undergo cancer treatment+

TOKYO, Jan. 7 Kyodo -
Prominent Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa said Thursday he has been diagnosed
with an early stage of esophageal cancer and will cancel all of his 30 concert
engagements through June, include his farewell performance at the Vienna State
Opera, in order to undergo treatment.
The 74-year-old, who became the first Japanese national to serve as music
director of the opera house in 2002, said he underwent a regular medical
checkup late last year and was found to have esophageal cancer.
''With a good doctor by my side, I hope to be back even within half a year,''
Ozawa said at a press conference, adding that he apologizes to all who may be
affected by the cancellations of his scheduled concerts around the world.
Masato Okada, Ozawa's primary doctor at St. Luke's International Hospital in
Tokyo, said the cancer is small and at a very early stage, found on the surface
of a membrane, and Ozawa will undergo further tests for about a week before
moving on to actual treatment. His office said Ozawa will undergo an operation
to remove the cancer.
Ozawa said that so far he is feeling ''no symptoms whatsoever,'' being able to
eat and drink without problem. He also jokingly urged reporters to make sure
they get health checkups.
Ozawa serves as the general manager for the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto,
held every summer. Regarding the event, he said with humor, ''I'll make a
comeback definitely -- my sickness is timed (to be healed) for that.''
He also said he will be serving as arts director at a music festival featuring
Japan to be held from December at Carnegie Hall in New York.
In Vienna, Ioan Holender, director of the state opera, said in a press release
that he was ''concerned'' to learn that Ozawa is ill. ''Our thoughts and best
wishes are with Seiji Ozawa,'' he said.
Ozawa has won various awards and conducted a number of top orchestras around
the world. He served as music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from
1965 to 1970 and the San Francisco Symphony from 1969 to 1976.
In 1973, Ozawa became music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he
remained until he assumed the post at the Vienna State Opera. His tenure at the
Vienna State Opera is scheduled to end this summer.
In Japan, Ozawa has been engaged in running the Saito Kinen Orchestra, which
plays at the Matsumoto festival, and Seiji Ozawa Ongaku-juku courses he started
in 2000 as part of efforts to nurture young Japanese musicians through opera
concerts.
The Saito Kinen (memorial) Festival and Orchestra were inaugurated to honor
Hideo Saito (1902-1974), a cellist and conductor who taught Ozawa and a number
of other renowned Japanese musicians.
==Kyodo
2010-01-07 23:09:21