WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- International tenor Placido Domingo will lead the Washington Opera on a 12-day tour of Japan with a repertory of three of the company's best productions -- Verdi's Otello and Tosca, and Ermanno Wolf Ferrari's Sly.

The company's first international tour in 17 years opens on July 6 at the NHK Hall in Tokyo with a performance of Sly starring Spanish tenor Jose Carreras in the title role and baritone Sherrill Milnes, and ends on July 17 with a performance of Otello, with Placido Domingo in the title role, a Washington Opera spokesperson said.

Otello is one of Placido Domingo's best known roles.

Domingo, who is the Washington Opera's artistic director, will also conduct Tosca, with the Russian soprano Maria Guleghina singing Tosca.

The NHK hall, which seats over 4,000, is where many major operatic and musical productions are staged. The Washington Opera will also perform at the Tokyo's Bunka Kaikan theater complex, and in Yokohama at the Kanagawa Kemmin Hall.

The spokesperson said organizing the opera touring company for the visit had been a daunting operation. The traveling group will consist of 260 singers, musicians, dancers, technicians, chorus members, and others.

Twenty sea containers of scenery, props, costumes, and trunkloads of musical scores of each opera for the members of the orchestra are already en route to Japan.

Washington critics credit Domingo with transforming the Washington Opera into one of the country's leading opera companies.

Because of the tour, which Domingo negotiated with the Japanese over 18 months, Domingo will not be in Washington on July 9 to receive the Medal of Freedom -- the highest civilian honor -- from President Bush. One of his sons will represent him at the White House investiture ceremony.

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