Garasha excerpts broadcast on Japanese TV.
National Noh Theater, Tokyo, Japan
Saturday, January 29, 2022
モノオペラ「ガラシャ」
Garasha: 田中彩子 Ayako Tanaka (soprano)
Ogasawara Shosai: Soichiro Hayashi (Noh performer)
The ghost of Mayor Ajidino: Ippei Shigeyama (Kyogen Noh performer)
Prayer: Kengo Tanimoto (Noh performer)
Composition: Esteban Benzecry エステバン・ベンゼクリの音楽
Libretto: Noboru Yokoshima
Work commissioned by Japan Association for Music Education Program
明智光秀の娘、玉。
カトリックの洗礼を受け「ガラシャ」となるが、石田三成の人質となることを拒み、細川家家老・小笠原少斎の介錯によりこの世を去ったガラシャを、
少斎の目から通したガラシャを描く1時間のモノオペラ。
この作品は俳優版、能楽版とあり、
世界遺産京都上賀茂神社では俳優版を初演しましたが今回は能楽版で再演です
“Hosokawa Garasha” synopsis
The mono Opera “Garasha” by Esteban Benzecry with a book by Noboru Yokoshima has texts in Japanese and old monastic Spanish, the starting point is precisely the narration made by a Jesuit priest of the history of Tama Hosokawa who when he converted to Catholicism is baptized with the name of Garasha (Grace) Hosokawa. Married to Tadaoki Hosokawa at the age of 15, mother of six children, a betrayal of her father against his lord, Oda Nobunaga, whom she murders, automatically makes her the daughter of a traitor and therefore liable to separation. from her husband. He did not wish to end her bond and sent her with some of her servants to the mountains near what is now Kyoto where she remained hidden for two years. After that time she was later transferred to Osaka where a cell was her accommodation. A maid converted to Catholicism was the link with the word and faith. When her husband learned of these conversations, she, too, clarified her ideas with a friend of his who was also converted to the Christian faith. An anti-Catholic proclamation from Toyotomi, lord of the place, convinced Tama to finally convert to Christianity and her husband, aware of this, pointed out that her life was in danger and if she was found she should kill herself. Garasha talks to the local priests. They tell them that suicide is a mortal sin for Catholicism, which despite the fact that the danger had diminished, leaves a mark on her religious conviction for the future. Toyotomi’s death brought about a factional struggle for power, leaving the territory for the dominated divided in two. Togokawa was the leader of the eastern part, with whom Garasha’s husband was enlisted and Mitsunari in the West. The latter decides to invade the East, assault Osaka and attack the castle where Garasha resided. Her husband left her servants a clear order that if her enemies attempted to take her from her, they must kill her immediately. When this happened, Shosai Ogasarawa, retainer of the family, killed Garasha, who faced the moment with supreme serenity, after which all the occupants of the place took their own lives.
© Esteban Benzecry
#Garasha #EstebanBenzecry #AyakoTanaka #Opera #MonoOpera