The Vancouver Public Library and the Vancouver Opera present a series of public forums on the themes and characters in Vancouver Opera’s productions.

The social experience of contemporary Canadians of Japanese heritage is profoundly varied, and influenced by many factors, including age, family origin, economic status, career and the many circumstances confronted by living in a North American community that has grown from being predominantly mono-cultural to become exuberantly multicultural. How have the experiences of Japanese in Canada changed through the generations? How has the view of Canada from Japan changed, and how have Canadian perceptions of Japan changed? What role have artists played in changing perceptions? This wide-ranging forum will address these questions and many more.