Performer: Hiroaki Fueda

Seven months ago, when Tokyo’s musical scene was brought to a standstill by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was hard to envisage any orchestra performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by December, an important year-end custom in Japan.

Next June and July will see MS6’s latest in impressively starry music-focused cruises, a 15-day journey to many locations around the Mediterranean, aboard the opulent liner Explora I.