THE鍵KEY: The Husband Trio Photo: Shintaro Sumimoto
THE鍵KEY: The Wife Trio Photo: Shintaro Sumimoto
THE鍵KEY: The Daughter Trio and Kimura Photo: Shintaro Sumimoto
‘THE鍵KEY’: a site-specific dramatic musical work by composer Francesca Le Lohé, inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki’s novel of the same name. Set in 1950’s Japan, the intimate story of four characters; the Husband, the Wife, the Daughter and the lover, Kimura, is told through the married couple’s diary entries, written on the assumption that their partner will secretly read them. ‘THE鍵KEY’ invites audiences to become voyeurs as they move freely around the house to eavesdrop on each character’s trio, formed of singers, a dancer, and Japanese and Western instruments, simultaneously recounting their version of events in separate rooms of the house.
Performers and staff:
Composer/director: Francesca Le Lohé
The Husband Trio
The Husband: Takashi Matsudaira (baritone)
Kohei Matsumoto (shakuhachi)
Yukiko Shiina (double bass)
The Wife Trio
The Wife: Akane Kudo (soprano)
Yuri Kubota (cello)
Atsumi Kojima (sho)
The Daughter Trio
The Daughter: Chieko Noda (mezzo-soprano)
Mikako Ogawa (kotsuzumi and shimedaiko)
Kyouju Hayakawa (violin)
Kimura Trio
Kimura: Shouzo Ayaka (dancer)
Akiko Kubota (biwa)
Hiroko Miyake (clarinet)
Dramaturg: Alexandra Rutter
Choreography: Kae Ishimoto
Lighting: Makoto Uemura
Producer: Naoya Yamashita
‘Kagi’ Project Executive Committee
The organization was established by composer Francesca Le Lohé and producer Naoya Yamashita in 2017 to stage the world premiere of “THE鍵KEY” at Nakacho House in May 2018. Further critically acclaimed performances were staged at Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier (revised premiere, May 2019) and at Tête a Tête: The Opera Festival 2019 (London, UK premiere, August 2019)
Francesca Le Lohé
Francesca Le Lohé studied Composition with David Fennessy at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (2013, MMus) and was awarded a Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Scholarship in 2015. Whilst in Japan, Francesca has pursued the study of shakuhachi, biwa and sho, and collaborated with Japan-based artists on a number of projects, such as Nelke Planning, Whole Hog Theatre and Gorch Brothers adaptation of ‘Tristan and Isolde’ and with Makoto Nomura’s ‘Senju Dajare Music Orchestra’.
Naoya Yamashita
Producer
‘Kagi’ Project Executive Committee
thekey.kagi@gmail.com
Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, Taito City, Tokyo
