Makoto Sakurada was born in Sapporo. He completed his master degree at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He also studied vocal music at Conservatorio “G.B. Martini” in Bologna with M° Fabbrini and Baroque Music under William Matteuzzi and Gloria Banditelli.
He performed in: Mendelssohn Elias with M° Sawallish in Tokyo, as Evangelista in Bach Johannes Passion, Matthaus Passion, Weihnachtsoratorium; he also sang Bach’s Messe in H-moll, Magnificat and Cantatas; Der Messiah by Handel; Mozart’s Requiem; Die Schöpfung by Haydn; Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. He works in Italy and abroad with famous ensemble and important conductors as: Il Giardino Armonico (Giovanni Antonini); Cappella de’ Turchini (Antonio Florio); Accademia Bizantina (Ottavio Dantone); Venice Baroque Orchestra (Andrea Marcon). Moreover he collaborated with Ensemble Concerto; La Stagione Armonica (Sergio Balestracci); I Madrigalisti Ambrosiani.
Since 1995, soloist with Masaaki Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan, he recorded several works by Bach, Buxtehude and Schütz in touring Europe, USA, Australia and Israel.
In 2000 he collaborated with Philippe Herreveghe. He took part in the International Festival of Monteverdi in Cremona in 2001, and in 2002 he performed Schütz’s music with M° Sigiswald Kuijken. That same year he won the international competition of Bruges in Belgium.
Concerning Opera he made his debut in the role of Don Ramiro in Cenerentola and Edoardo in La cambiale di matrimonio by Rossini; Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro and Pedrillo in Die Entfürung aus dem Serail by Mozart. In 2001 he was Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni by Mozart under the direction of M° Connely at the New National Theatre of Tokyo.
Recent engagements include Vinci’s Partenope in Beaune and at Cité de la Musique in Paris, Bach’s Passions all around America with the Bach Collegium Japan, Montezuma by De Mayo with Cappella della Pietà de’ Turchini in Ashaffenburg and at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples. He sang Il fonte della salute with Il Giardino Armonico to the Styriarte festival of Graz, Mozart’s Betulia Liberata in Bremen International Festival and was invited by Europa Galante to take part in a Scarlatti-program tournée in Spain. He was also Eurimaco in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Accademia Bizantina/Ottavio Dantone in Cremona.
Between his future engagements we cite: Monteverdi’s Orfeo with Jordy Savall in Bordeaux and Edinburgh, the European tour of Orfeo with La Venexiana and various projects with Bach Collegium Japan.