2014/2015 Season
Music by MATSUMURA Teizo
Opera in 2 acts
Sung in Japanese with Japanese surtitles
Opera Palace
This is the only opera composed by one of the greatest Japanese composers of the 20th century, MATSUMURA Teizo (1929-2007). He took 13 years to complete it, writing the libretto himself based on ENDO Shusaku's monumental masterwork on God's existence and the values of religious belief. The opera had its world premiere in 1993 and was seen as the birth of a new masterpiece for the Japanese opera scene. The NNTT has since presented it often. MIYATA Keiko, Artistic Director (Plays), has been heralded for her staging, which features a leaning cross on a rotating stage and makes effective use of lighting. It was first introduced in 2012 and was well received together with the performance of the conductor SHIMONO Tatsuya, the soloists and the chorus.
The last NNTT performance of Silence took place in the Playhouse, but is presented this time in the Opera House. SHIMONO Tatsuya will conduct again and leading solists of the Japanese opera scene will be in the cast.
Staff
Conductor SHIMONO Tatsuya 1
Production MIYATA Keiko 2
Scenery and Costume Design IKEDA Tomoyuki
Costume Design HANDA Etsuko
Lighting Design KAWAGUCHI Masahiro
 1 |
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Cast
[6/27,29]
Rodrigo KOMOCHIYA Tetsuo 3
Ferreira KURODA Hiroshi 4
Valignano NARITA Hiroyuki
Kichijiro HOSHINO Jun 5
Mokichi YOSHIDA Hiroyuki 6
Oharu TAKAHASHI Nobuko 7
Omatsu YODA Asako
Boy YAMASHITA Makiko
Jisama OKUBO Makoto
Old Man OKUBO Mitsuya
Chokichi KAMOSHITA Minoru
Inoue, Lord of Chikugo SHIMAMURA Takeo
Interpreter YOSHIKAWA Kenichi
Official, Prison Official MINE Shigeki
[6/28,30]
Rodrigo OHARA Keiroh 8
Ferreira KOMORI Teruhiko 9
Valignano ONUMA Toru
Kichijiro MASU Takashi 10
Mokichi SUZUKI Jun 11
Oharu ISHIBASHI Emi 12
Omatsu MASUDA Yayoi
Boy KOBAYASHI Yuka
Jisama OKUBO Makoto
Old Man OKUBO Mitsuya
Chokichi KAMOSHITA Minoru
Inoue, Lord of Chikugo SANNOHE Hirohisa
Interpreter MACHI Hidekazu
Official, Prison Official MINE Shigeki
Chorus New National Theatre Chorus
Orchestra Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
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Schedule
June 2015
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14:00 |
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13:00* |
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- *private performance
Synopsis
Act I: In a church in Macau. A young Portuguese missionary, Rodrigo, wants to go to Japan, but Father Valignano tries to persuade him to give up since there is strong oppression of Christians in Japan. However, Rodrigo manages to leave for Japan with a Japanese guide, Kichijiro. His goal is to find his fellow missionary, Ferreira, who seems to have disappeared in Japan, and to help the Japanese Christians.
Successfully entering Japan by stealth, Rodrigo starts his missionary work at Tomogi village in Nagasaki and prays with the villagers. However, the happy days devoted to piety do not last long. Officials come to apprehend the villagers and force them to take a test to prove there are not Christians. Mokichi and other villagers who refused to tread on a picture of Christ are crucified in the sea. Mokichi's lover, Oharu, grieves and loses her mind. The crucified villagers pray as they drown in the waves. Presented with the hard reality the Christians have to face, Rodrigo is devastated and his own powerlessness tortures him. Just then, officials appear. Kichijiro has traded his own safety for Rodrigo's whereabouts. Rodrigo is taken captive.
Act II: In prison, Rodrigo hears news about Ferreira. He has abandoned Christianity, taken a wife and lives under a Japanese name. Inoue, Lord of Chikugo, and in charge of Nagasaki, declares that Rodrigo's Christian followers will be cast into the sea if he does not give up Christianity like Ferreira did. Rodrigo has to watch the Christians being thrown into sea. Ferreira arrives in prison to persuade Rodrigo to abandon Christianity. Rodrigo is disgusted at the change Ferreira has undergone and drives him out. On the evening before his execution, Rodrigo compares his feelings with Christ's on the cross. He is irritated by the snores of the drunken gaolers, but is aghast when he learns that the noise was the groans of the hanged Christians. So many Christians have had to suffer because of him. He prays to God, but instead of an answer, all he gets is silence. With his heart tearing, he takes a step to tread on the image of Christ.
Booking Opens
Saturday, 21st February 2015
Tickets
| S | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¥16,200 | ¥12,960 | ¥8,640 | ¥6,480 | ¥3,240 |
Tax included
The New National Theatre,
Tokyo Box Office:
+81-(0)3-5352-9999
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Ticket are sold via the website of PIA Corporation.
- Concession Prices (students, juniors, seniors, groups)
- Discount tickets are not available online. Please inquire at the Box Office or by telephone. (+81-(0)3-5352-9999 10:00am - 6:00pm)
- Booking Z seats (1,620 yen)
- Z seats are available at the Box Office from 10:00 a.m. on the day of the performance. One ticket is available per person. Telephone bookings are not accepted.
Please read
- No admittance to pre-school children. Each child older than this age requires a ticket for entry, even when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Tickets may not be changed or refunded except in the case of a cancelled performance.
- For opera productions, D seat tickets are limited to a maximum of two per person on the first day of the advance ticket sales.
- A special discount price is available for disabled guests. Please inquire at the Box Office for details.
- Users of wheelchairs are requested to contact the Box Office before coming to the theatre.
- Preferred seats may not be available on the first day of ticket sales or times when the operators are busy.