Shunkinshō (Japanese: 春琴抄, Shunkinshō), "A Portrait of Shunkin", is an opera by Minoru Miki, with Japanese libretto by Jun Maeda (まえだ純, Maeda Jun).
It premiered in Tokyo on 24 November, 1975. It was composed earlier that year. Shunkinshō is based on the novella of the same name by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (谷崎潤一郎).
The vocal score is published by Zen-On Music Company Ltd.
Roles
edit| Japanese | English | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1975 (Conductor: Kazuo Yamada 山田一男) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 春琴 | Shunkin, a blind koto teacher | soprano | Michiko Sunahara (砂原美智子) |
| 佐助 | Sasuke, her servant and lover | baritone | Shigeo Harada (原田茂生) |
| 利太郎 | Ritarō | tenor | |
| 安左衛門 | Yasuzaemon | bass | |
| しげ女 | Shigeme | mezzo-soprano |
Synopsis
editSet in 19th-century Osaka, the three-act opera tells the story of a love affair between Sasuke and blind koto teacher Shunkin, with the opposition of Sasuke's rich suitor Ritarō.
References
edit- Miki, Minoru by Masakata Kanazawa, in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7