Shizuka Hariu
Awards
International
2022 World Stage Design, Bronze Medal for Dystopian Dream
2017 World Stage Design, Bronze Medal for Solid Traces
Opera & Theatre
2023 Tokyo Kukan (Space) Design Award, Bronze Medal for Super Angels
2022 Kisaku Ito Theatre Design Award, Encouragement Prize for Super Angels
2020 Yoshio Sagawa Opera Award, Winner for Written on Skin
Exhibition Design Award
2015 D&AD Pencil Award
2015 German Design Award
Nominations
2025 World Stage Design for Dark with Excessive Bright, Goitres Rokka and Opera Super Angels
Articles
2019 A Japanese Stage Designer Builds Worlds to Dance - New York Times
2019 The Best 12 New Stage Designers in the UK - The Guardian
Shizuka is a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary designer working at the intersection of scenography and architecture, exploring the dialogue between built environments and imaginary space.
“Dekalog - New National Theatre Tokyo
“I have repeatedly emphasised that the true protagonists of this unprecedented large-scale theatre project are the several apartment buildings teeming with human activity. And I have emphasised that the set structure created by Shizuka Hariu—the corner cube-shaped space that fundamentally underpins this swarming—is the very heart of this serialised performance.””
“A Japanese Stage Designer Builds Worlds to Dance
“Shizuka Hariu’s career traces a fluid line from dance to architecture to scenography — like haiku, her work packs much meaning into seemingly simple structures.””
“Super Angels - New National Theatre Tokyo
Creative art director Shizuka Hariu and video by WEiRDCORE deserve credit for all the visual splendours… all largely very engaging, and pushing the boundaries of opera as a contemporary, cutting-edge art form.
”
“Super Angels - New National Theatre Tokyo
”a strikiing white stage backed by two huge, curving icebergs ( designed by Shizuka Hariu)”
”
“Dystopian Dream - Sadler’s Wells
”an astonishing visual spectacle, a pleasure for the eyes as well as for the ears...””
Gallery
2025
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Strauss 2225: Dances for the Future | The Neue Staatsoper Vienna, Chor. Robert Binet |
| Jadids: Letters to Turkestan | Exhibition Design, Art and Culture Development Foundation, Uzbekistan |
2024
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Chunky Jewellery | Tramway, Dir. Natasha Gilmore |
| Dark with Excessive Bright | The Royal Ballet, London, UK, Chor. Robert Binet |
| Elektra Unbound | NT Gent, Ghent, Belgium, Dir. Luanda Casella |
| Dekalog | New National Theatre Tokyo, Dir. OGAWA Eriko / KAMIMURA Satoshi |
2023
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Sputnik Sweetheart | Arcola Theatre, London, UK, Dir. Melly Still |
2022
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Giortes Rokka Festival 2022 | Crete, Greece |
2021
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Opera Super Angels - World Premiere | New National Theatre Tokyo, Japan, Dir. Eriko Ogawa, Maestro. Kazushi Ono |
| Tsunagu | Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Chor. Koike Mimoza |
2020
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Dark with Excessive Bright | Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Chor. Robert Binet |
2019
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Bells for Peace | Yoko Ono - World Premiere | Manchester International Festival, Event Dir. Emily Lim |
| Written on Skin | Suntory Hall Festival, Tokyo, Japan, Santoury Hall, Director of Music & Maestro Kazushi Ono |
| New World | Ballet am Rhein, Dusseldorf, Germany, Chor. Robert Binet |
2017
Production |
Company |
|---|---|
| Dystopian Dream | Sadler’s Wells, London, UK, Chors. Nitin Sawhney, Wang & Ramirez |
| Medea | Bristol Old Vic, Dir. George Mann |
| Dream Catcher | Charleroi Danse, Charleroi, Belgium, Dir. Thierry De Mey |
| Shiver Me Timbers | The Word, North Shield, UK |
| Void Skin | Isabel Marant, Kobe, Japan |