Japanese-American countertenor Brian Asawa died yesterday, aged 49. Born in Los Angeles, he began his career in 1991 when he became the first countertenor to win both the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and an Adler Fellowship to the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program. In 1993, Asawa was awarded a career grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. He performed at the most important opera houses in America and in Europe.