TOKAIDO ROAD

Parabola Arts Centre
Parabola Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AA
United Kingdom
+44 1242 707338
http://www.parabolaartscentre.co.uk

NICOLA LEFANU MUSIC
NANCY GAFFIELD LIBRETTO
CAROLINE CLEGG DIRECTOR
KIMIE NAKANO DESIGNER
DOMINIC WHEELER CONDUCTOR

Okeanos is an ensemble which mixes traditional Japanese instruments, such as koto, sho and shamisen, with western ones. They open this event with a taste of traditional Japanese music, before composer Nicola LeFanu and librettist Nancy Gaffield discuss how this distinctive soundworld influenced the creation of this new multimedia opera, Tokaido Road.

Taking its name from the series of vivid woodblock prints by Japanese artist Hiroshige, the opera brings Hiro – the figure present in every picture – to life. Journeying from Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto against a backdrop of old and new images, Hiro tells of his encounters – humorous, amorous, tragic – through mime, dance, speech and song.

Nicola LeFanu : Tokaido Road