With the aim of creating opera for the people with a finger on the pulse of everyday life in Japan, this company performs high-quality, low-cost creative opera at theaters in the Asakusa district, the birthplace of Japanese popular opera (reserved seats 2,500 yen, non-reserved seats 2,000 yen). Edo is the former name of Tokyo. This mono-opera “Matsu-to-Oaki (Matsu and Oaki) -A Musical Love Story” depicts the sad story of unhappy men and women living on the bottom rungs of Edo society.
Inspired by “rokyoku” narrative singing, a single narrator recites tales and sings to the accompaniment of a shamisen in this adaptation by singer Takao Okamura of the original work by Shugoro Yamamoto, with arias and monologue composed by Megumi Onaka (composer of “Sacchan” and “The Dog’s Policeman.”)
“Matsu-to-Oaki (Matsu and Oaki) -A Musical Love Story”
Part 1 “Matsu”
Part 2 “Oaki”
Original work by Shugorō Yamamoto
Composed by Megumi Onaka
Kawari-e artist: Kazumi Urabe
Songs and narration (total 9 roles) /adaptation/direction: Takao Okamura
Musicians: Wataru Okada (clarinet), Noriko Handa (piano)
NPO Opera del Popolo/Minna no Opera
The company was founded in 1995 with the aim of bringing about improvements in arts and culture, by addressing the situation in which opera in our country is unevenly skewed towards the metropolitan area, and unconnected to the masses. It strives to spread opera in Japan by producing outstanding high-quality, low-price operatic works, and additionally to take its productions abroad. Takao Okamura is artistic director.
Asakusa Public Hall, Taito City, Tokyo
