Miki Minoru has written operas that depict the spirit of each period in Japanese history. In this production, he will unveil a masterwork with Nara, Kentoshi (Japanese mission to Tang Dynasty China), and pipa (Chinese lute, in Japan pronounces biwa) as its keywords, which is a summation of his past efforts. This is the first libretto written by Setouchi Jakucho, and features the story of a young man who goes over to China as a member of a Kentoshi mission, and beautiful twin sisters. The drama views uninhibited love and the overcoming of deep-seated hatred of persons toyed with by fate as the destiny of human beings that is shared by people today. This is a gem of an opera with a view of court life in ancient Japan and China, and a most treasured piece of pipa music never before allowed to have been performed out of court, as woven by the story.

In the mid-eighth century, Ono Kiyoto, a Kentoshi member, receives a strict order from Empress Shomyo of Japan to bring back without fail a pipa music entitled “Ai-en,” which Princess Kohki of the Tang dynasty reserves only for the initiated. He has just married Sakurako but leaves his new wife at home and departs for China. Despite shipwrecks and other unfortunate events, he arrives in the Chinese capital of Chang’an partly because his innate skills in the game of go are recognized and meets Emperor Gensho and his consort Kohki. At Gensho’s court, he encounters the unrivaled pipa player Ryurei, who has become one of the princess’ ladies-in-waiting, after passing through strange vicissitudes of fortune.