12:47 JST, August 12, 2024
A new chamber opera by Yuko Amanuma had its world premiere on August 3 at Theater X in Tokyo’s Sumida district.
“Shonen Orufe” (“Young Orpheus”) is based on a children’s novel of the same name by Yukio Yonezawa, who won a Kodansha Ltd. Newcomer Award for Children’s Literature in 1962 for this work. The novel tells the story of Susumu, an 11-year-old boy who travels to an imaginary universe in search of his little sister, Fuko, who died of an illness at age 7.
The story is inspired by the Greek myth about the poet Orpheus, who enters the underworld to search for his dead wife.
After visiting the planets of justice and oblivion, Susumu finds Fuko on the platinum planet and discovers that she has no memory of her life on Earth.
The script was written by Amanuma and David Koshimiya.
Amanuma also conducted the performance, sharing piano and keyboard duties with Yumi Suzuki. She calls this one-act opera a “Singspiel,” the German word for a type of musical play that includes both singing and speeches, unlike most operas where the dialogue is sung entirely.
The Singspiel began with the piano imitating a school bell announcing the end of the school day, and the fun playtime between Susumu and Fuko. But the death of the little sister changes the boy’s life. The music, mainly tonal, is easy to follow and contains some beautifully lyrical melodies, such as in a touching song by the chief judge and the finale, “Pie Jesu”, which is sung by the entire cast.
The nine singers with emerging opera or theatre careers sang both individual roles and as part of ensembles. Tenor Takumi Torio’s youthful voice and moving acting were perfect for Susumu. Mezzo-soprano Yuki Jitsukawa beautifully expressed Fuko’s innocent charms.
Baritone Yosuke Takahashi’s warm tone suited the roles of the chief judge on the planet of justice and Dr. Botanics, who takes Susumu to the platinum planet to find a flower of memory. Toko Yamazaki’s silvery soprano shone in her role as the queen of the platinum planet and in ensembles. Raishun Takei won over adults and children alike with his comic portrayal of the president of the planet of oblivion, and tenor Takahiro Terao had a commanding stage presence, both as Susumu’s father and the old man who befriends Susumu.
The two rocket girls who accompany Susumu into space were vividly sung by Maho Saito and Yuriko Tango. The solemn bass Tomofumi Meguro as the solemn doctor completes the cast.
Markus Kopf directed the production with great attention to detail. Akari Ezure’s simple but effective sets included white curtains that separated two different worlds or situations.
“Young Orpheus” is the fourth opera by Amanuma, a composer-conductor in a class of her own. A pioneering female conductor, she was appointed the first permanent conductor of the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in 1988. She was also appointed professor of opera studies, accompaniment and conducting at the University of Music Würzburg in Germany in 2005.
It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that she began writing the opera adaptation of the novel she had loved since childhood, completing the work in 2022.
“I gave everything for this opera, so I won’t regret it even if it becomes my last work,” Amanuma said after the evening performance on August 3.
Unlike the Greek myth, “Young Orpheus” has a prescient ending. This beautiful chamber opera has the potential to be loved for a long time to come.
“Young Orpheus” will be performed at Ishikawa Ongakudo Concert Hall in Kanazawa on August 18. For tickets, visit https://ongakudo.jp/ticket/purchase-tickets/ticket-web/ or call (076) 232-8632.
