On Monday, 15 December 2025, a beautiful concert for the Corps Diplomats took place in the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam, after three memorable concerts in the past years. The concert was organized by the General Manager, Mr. Michiel Roelfsema in collaboration with Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro (NJM Expat Consultancy). The special Guests of Honor were the Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Rokuichiro Michii and Mr. Daisuke Nakano, Chargé d’Affaires.
About 60 persons were present, 50 diplomats, being the Ambassadors (some accompanied by their spouses) of India, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Peru, Panama, Poland, South Africa, Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, diplomats from New Zealand, Venezuela, Chili, USA, etc. Furthermore, were present Mr. Tjapko Poppens (Mayor of Amstelveen), Mr. Frans de Beaufort (Honorary Consul General), Mr. Marcel van Aelst (Vice Chairman Okura Nikko Hotel Management, Mr. Jaap Rost Onnes (former Consul General), Mr. Menno Fitski (Head of Asian Art, Rijksmuseum) and some other guests of the Japanese Embassy.
All guests were welcomed by Michiel Roelfsema and Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro in the lounge which was decorated in a most beautiful Christmas ambiance with many Christmas trees.
Before the concert, words of welcome were spoken by Mr. Roelfsema followed by H.E. Rockuichiro Michii who mentioned that he is more than pleased and felt proud that he could attend this concert in the beautiful Okura Hotel in Amsterdam.
This year’s artists were the Japanese soprano Kiyoko Tachikawa, the Japanese pianist Kanako Inoue and the Latvian tenor Raimonds Linãjs.
Kioyko, originally trained in piano, pursued classical singing and earned her Master’s from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Further refining her study at the New National Theatre Tokyo Opera Studio and the Royal Opera House in London. She completed her Doctorate in vocal performance at the Tokyo University of Arts. Based in Amsterdam since 2016, she performs with the National Opera and Opera Vlaanderen.
Kanako, a pianist from Ibaraki, Japan, began playing at the age of four and later studied in Tokyo and Utrecht and earned her Master’s in 2008. Specializing in fortepiano, she has performed widely across Europe as a chamber musician and currently works as a répétiteur at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.
Raimonds is a Latvian tenor and choral conductor, holding a Master’s degree in opera singing from the Conservatory in Maastricht. He has performed leading roles in operas as Le Villi, La Bohème and the Tales of Hoffmann. His engagements include appearances with the Dutch National Opera and the Vienna State Opera, as well as various oratorio projects. He also coaches several choirs in Limburg and teaches students across multiple vocal styles.
The audience was treated with a nice selected program. We could enjoy opera songs of Gounod, Giordano, Strauss and Puccini and a duet of Madame Butterfly of Puccini.
After the intermission, we listened to 5 songs of Puccini, among others of “La Bohème, Tosca and Turandot. This followed by a piano solo of Mendelssohn, and the opera singers ended with a duet of Giordano. The audience was excited, and the musicians received an overwhelming applause and because of the Christmas spirit, they treated us with a duet of a beautiful Christmas song.
Afterwards there was a reception and the delicious, excellent food and drinks were very much appreciated by those present. (It must be noted that the Okura hotel houses the restaurant Yamazato, 1 star Michelin and restaurant Ciel Bleu, 2 stars Michelin). Before leaving, we all received a gift, which was a delicious chocolate ball and as a surprise, one of the guests will find a small card within the ball, which allows the winner to stay one night in the magnificent Hotel Okura.
We can all look back at an exciting, wonderful and amazing evening and the diplomats all said that they are looking forward to next year’s concert.
Written by Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro