あらすじ - 英訳 -
SHIRAMINE
A Musical Drama in three acts and twelve scenes
Original score and script by Akira TAMBA
Synopsis and Cast of Characters
Synopsis (abbreviated version by Vivian Nobes)
Act I. − Sutoku’s Desolate Burial Mound
Set somewhere deep in the forest of the Shiramine mountains, the monk Saigyo is praying before the abandoned tomb of the Emperor Sutoku.
A woodcutter appears and begins to tell of Sutoku’s unhappy life, he is none other than the spirit of Emperor Sutoku.
Act II. − Flashback of Sutoku’s life
Among much festivity and merry-making, Taikenmon-in Akiko, who would later give birth to Sutoku, is consecrated Empress Consort to Emperor Toba,
however it is clear there is a romantic relation between her and Toba’s father, the retired Emperor Shirakawa.
The scene progresses to ten years later. Sutoku, the son born to Taikenmon-in Akiko and Toba is now Emperor.
Toba, however, is beginning to doubt that Sutoku is truly his son, and, together with his much-loved second consort Bifukumon-in, plans to depose Sutoku.
There follows a bloody battle of succession which tears the country apart. Sutoku and his followers are utterly defeated.
They are condemned to death or exile.
Act III. − Sutoku’s Desolate Burial Mound
We return to the forest scene of Act I. Saigyo exhorts Sutoku to renounce his vindictive hatred of this world,
but as he prays the spirit of Sutoku turns into a fearful demon promising to bring disaster and unhappiness to this world forever more.
It is morning, Saigyo awakes as if from a dream. Was it real? Did he save Sutoku’s soul?
Synopsis (full version by Akira Tamba)
Act I., Scene 1. Prologue: The mountain forests of Shiramine in Sanuki Province, at the foot of the ruins of exiled Emperor Sutoku’s mausoleum.
Saigyo, a venerable monk, recites the Amida Sutra for the salvation of souls in front of the Emperor’s tomb. Saigyo knew Emperor Sutoku and his family well as he was an Imperial Guard before taking the tonsure in his quest for peace of soul.
Act I., Scene 2. The same ? at the foot of the tomb.
While Saigyo continues to recite the sutra, a Woodcutter enters from stage-rear; he too joins in and recites the sutra. The Woodcutter is in fact the spirit of Emperor Sutoku. At Saigyo’s request the Woodcutter tells of Sutoku’s life.
Born in 1119, Sutoku was the first son of Emperor Toba and Empress Taikenmon-in Akiko. His great-grandfather, the pious Retired-Emperor Shirakawa, loved Sutoku dearly and installed him on the imperial throne when he was five years old. Thus Sutoku, in replacing his father Toba on the throne, became the 75th Emperor. However, on the death of Shirakawa, Toba, who had actually been governing the country, dethroned Sutoku in favour of two-year old Konoe, Toba’s son by his second consort Bifukumon-in. Unfortunately Konoe died when he was just sixteen years-old; allegedly his death was the result of an evil spell cast by Sutoku. Retired-Emperor Toba then removed Prince Shigehito, Sutoku’s son, from the line of succession in favour of Masahito, Sutoku’s younger brother, thus ensuring that Sutoku lost all right to imperial succession. Following the death of Toba in the first year of the Hogen era, a bitter struggle for succession broke out between the clan of Empress Bifukumon-in and that of Sutoku. This was the Hogen Civil War ending with Sutoku’s defeat and exile to the Island of Naoshima in Sanuki Province.
It was in Naoshima that Sutoku undertook to copy, in his own blood, the five sutras of the Greater Vehicle in order to gain salvation for the soldiers who had given their lives for him during the war. It took him three years to complete this task. Sutoku then sent the sutras and a series of poems to the Imperial Capital in the ardent hope that those who had died for him would be able to attain buddha-hood. However, the women of the Palace, fearing a malediction, refused the sutras and sent them back to Shiramine. In despair, Sutoku hurled the sutras into the sea where they turned into Ashuras, warlike demons, bringing living hell into the world. Sutoku swore before all the divinities that he would seek revenge. After nine years of terrible suffering he died. It was rumoured that his hatred was so deep that the smoke emanating from his cremation stretched out in long, terrifying wreaths towards the capital.
Such was the Woodcutter’s story.
Act 1., Scene 3. The same ? at the foot of the tomb.
Saigyo wonders how the Woodcutter knew of the life of Sutoku in such detail. The Woodcutter replies that he is in fact the spirit of Sutoku. So saying he transforms into a horrifying demon crying out that it is totally vain and foolish to attempt to turn him to Buddha-hood by virtue of sutras. He will show his abominable life as it really was, show his true nature, and on this he disappears.
Act II., Scene 1. The palace: consecration ceremony of Taikenmon-in as Emperor Toba’s Empress Consort. A formal court dance is just coming to a close at stage-rear.
Eighteen-year old Taikenmon-in, Shirakawa’s beloved adopted daughter, is consecrated Empress Consort to the sixteen-year old Emperor Toba. In order to enter monastic orders Shirakawa, the 72nd Emperor, had abdicated in favour of his eldest son Emperor Horikawa. However, Horikawa died when he was twenty-eight years-old and it was Toba, Horikawa’s eldest son and Shirakawa’s grandson who then acceded the throne and reigned. Governing in young Toba’s stead, Shirakawa instituted the system of rule by retired or cloistered emperor.
The banquet and evening festivities. Shirakawa is with Yorinaga Fujiwara, a younger brother of the First Minister Tadamichi. Shirakawa values Yorinaga for his intelligence and perspicacity and enigmatically promises that he will become kampaku or Grand Chancellor to the future emperor yet to be born.
Enter Toba and the Empress Consort. Fragrant sake is served and the banquet begins. Singing and dancing to popular airs. Presently, Emperor Toba who must perform the nocturnal religious rites leaves the banquet while Retired-Emperor Shirakawa retires with Taikenmon-in to his private apartments.
Act II., Scene 2. Overlooking the garden in front of Shirakawa’s private apartments.
Shirakawa and Taikenmon-in listen to the chirping of night insects and admire the moonlight. They recite poetry together and Shirakawa takes the young girl by the hand and draws her inside. Their enlaced figures can be seen in silhouette behind the screen windows.
Act II., Scene 3. Emperor Toba’s palace.
Ten years later. Since the death of Shirakawa, Toba has been acting as regent for the young Sutoku. Nevertheless Toba is still racked by deep bitterness and misery at having been forced by Shirakawa to relinquish the throne in favour of Sutoku. Then, in the fifth year of the Hoen era (1141), Toba’s second consort Bifukumon-in has given birth to a son, Konoe Narihito. Toba pours all his affection on this little prince. Moreover, Toba, who no longer believes Sutoku to be his true son, decides to depose Sutoku in favour of Konoe, but as Konoe is not even two years-old Toba will continue to govern the empire. The ensuing quarrel of succession was the beginning of the Hogen Troubles.
Inside the palace. Two nursemaids watch over the young Prince Konoe Narihito in his cradle. They become bored and noisily play ‘jan ken pon’, paper, scissors, stone (a finger game representing paper, scissors, stone according to the luck of the game). Bifukumon-in enters angrily dismissing the unruly nursemaids. She goes to the cradle and lovingly sings a lullaby to her baby, promising him all will be well as she will make certain he will become emperor. Stage centre-rear, Retired-Emperor Toba seems absorbed and preoccupied by some affair of state. In fact for several nights now he has been prey to a terrible nightmare where the people of the palace are swept away by a terrible whirl of towering waves. He watches helplessly while the courtiers are drowned, as on reaching out to save them, he can only clutch at emptiness. Then huge black spots appear in the sky, they grow bigger and bear down upon him. The vision becomes clearer and he can see a cohort of heavily-armed riders come to attack him. A song begins, expressing this evil vision. The Empress too talks of bad omens, like the shooting stars she has seen recently, and wonders if this isn’t an image reflecting on Sutoku’s reign. She expresses her ardent desire that Narihito be made emperor so the world can again be at peace.
(However, by ill fortune, at the age of sixteen the young Emperor will fall sick and die. His mother will attribute this untimely death to evil spells cast by Sutoku and her hatred will enflame the war between the two imperial clans.)
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Act II., Scene 4. Audience chamber of the same palace.
Sutoku who has just learned of his destitution arrives at the palace with the Minister of the Left Yorinaga. Yorinaga presses Toba to know what wrong they had done for power to have been taken away from them. Taikenmon-in, first consort of Toba and mother of Sutoku defends Sutoku’s right to reign arguing that Narihito is only the son of a second consort. Toba who had remained silent till then, declares that Sutoku is not his son but is in fact his uncle, being the adulterous fruit of Shirakawa and his own consort Taikenmon-in.
Taikenmon-in is about to protest when Bifukumon-in enters with an urgent despatch from the Minister of Defense declaring that the monk Shoson has confessed to casting an evil spell on Narihito at Yorinaga’s behest. At this news Toba accuses Yorinaga of treason ordering his banishment. In the meantime, pending the decision of the Council of Nobles, Yorinaga is to be confined to his residence. Toba, Bifukumon-in and Minister Tadamichi who was also present quickly exit. Sutoku, Taikenmon-in and Yorinaga are left on stage stunned with surprise and overwhelmed by the knowledge that war is now inevitable.
Act II., Scene 5. The battlefield.
The accession of Konoe-in had provoked an ever-increasing rivalry between Sutoku and Toba. Sutoku had still hoped to rule, either by regaining his throne or as retired-emperor if his son Shigehito became emperor. However, Toba chose to leave the empire to his fourth son and Sutoku’s younger brother, Prince Masahito (later known as emperor Goshirakawa), thereby utterly eliminating Sutoku and his descendants from power. At Toba’s death (1156, first year of Hogen) a war of succession setting Bifukumon-in and Emperor Goshirakawa against Sutoku broke out. The women of the Empress’ clan attack immediately and set fire to Sutoku’s palace as a fratricidal war explodes pitting parents and children, older and younger brothers, uncles and nephews against each other in merciless fighting.
The battle scene is expressed by ballet; horsemen and soldiers shoot arrows and fight with lance and sword. Surrounded, Sutoku is forced to surrender before reinforcements can arrive from Nara.
Act II., Scene 6. Battlefield, defeat of Sutoku.
A first soldier runs in to Sutoku with the news of Yorinaga’s death. A second soldier runs in with the news that the palace is on fire. Sutoku recognizes his defeat and orders the two soldiers to leave as quickly as possible and to save themselves. Sutoku tells them that these are his last commands and to pass these orders on to all his supporters. As for himself, he will take the tonsure and retire to the Ninna-ji temple.
Act II., Scene 7. Judgement of Sutoku and the annihilation of his clan.
Empress Bifukumon-in calls for a punishment equal to her hatred of Sutoku, for, as she alleges, he had caused the deaths through sorcery of her beloved child Konoe and his father the Emperor Toba. She obtains that Sutoku be exiled to the Island of Naoshima in Sanuki; that Taikenmon-in be confined to a convent in Sagano; that Shigehito, Sutoku’s eldest son, renounce the world and enter monastic orders; that Minamoto Tameyoshi and all his young children be sentenced to death; and that all the children of Yorinaga who was himself killed in battle, be sentenced to exile. Hundreds and hundreds of estates are to be confiscated and the families scattered. During these dramatic events of epic proportions, having fought on opposite sides, fathers are executed by their sons, sons by fathers, uncles by nephews, nephews by uncles, friend by friend.
Act III., Scene 1. As in Act I. ? at the foot of the tomb of Emperor Sutoku.
The spirit of Sutoku reappears to Saigyo. The vindictive hatred this lowly world instilled in Sutoku is so strong that it survives even after his death and has turned him into an evil demon. Thus he admits that all the subsequent cruel deaths and catastrophes are his doing.
The monk Saigyo continues to pray fervently and exhorts Sutoku to sever his ties with the corrupt and defiled world of humankind and ascend as quickly as possible to the paradise of Buddha. Sutoku replies, however, that though Saigyo has chosen the way of Buddha, he, Sutoku, has chosen the opposite way, the way that takes him far from Buddha, far from salvation and redemption; he will stay on this earth forever and eternally condemned to return to it he will answer evil with evil, hatred with hatred, and force with force. That is his chosen path.
Having said this, Sutoku turns into a fearful demon.
Act III., Scene 2. Epilogue. At the foot of the tomb.
Saigyo who had fallen asleep with exhaustion, his face against a rock, wakes up exclaiming at his terrible nightmare. He fervently prays for the liberation of his Higness Sutoku, who though once served by ten thousand horsemen is now emprisoned in his former life by his deep hatred; he prays that Sutoku may cease to engender misfortune, horror, hatred, betrayal and war; he prays that Buddha in his infinite mercy may lead Sutoku to paradise..... but did he succeed?
(English translation: Vivian Nobes)
List of Characters
Characters (abbreviated version by Vivian Nobes)
SAIGYO (1118-1190); baritone; in his sixties: A renowned poet and Buddhist priest, a former Imperial Palace Guard close to Sutoku.
SUTOKU Akihito (1119-1164); tenor: 75th Emperor of Japan, the lead character of this drama.
SHIRAKAWA Tadahito (1053-1129); bass baritone; in his late sixties: 72nd Emperor of Japan, father of Toba and presumed grandfather of Sutoku.
FUJIWARA NO YORINAGA (1120-1156); tenor; in his early thirties: Minister and staunch friend of Emperor Sutoku, younger brother of Tadamichi by a different mother.
TOBA Munehito (1103-1156); upper baritone or tenor: 74th Emperor of Japan, presumed father of Sutoku.
TAIKENMON-IN Akiko (1101-1145); soprano: Empress Consort of Toba, adopted daughter of Shirakawa, mother of Sutoku.
BIFUKUMON-IN Tokuko (1117-1160); soprano; in her early thirties: Much-beloved second consort of Emperor Toba, mother of the infant Konoe Narihito.
FUJIWARA NO TADAMICHI (1097-1164); baritone; in his late forties: Grand Chancellor and ally of Emperor Toba, elder brother of Yorinaga by a different mother.
GOSHIRAKAWA Masahito (1127-1192); baritone; in his thirties: 77th Emperor of Japan.
Imperial Chamberlain to both Shirakawa and Toba; baritone; in his late fifties.
Two nursemaids to the infant Emperor Konoe Narihito; alto and soprano; comic interlude.
Two soldiers of the Sutoku faction; baritone and tenor.
Chorus.br>
Characters (full version by Akira Tamba)
SAIGYO (1118-1190); baritone; in his sixties: A renowned poet and Buddhist priest, formerly an Imperial Palace Guard. Having left his family and renounced the world to become a Buddhist monk, Saigyo travels to Sutoku’s tomb in search of answers to his many questions.
SUTOKU Akihito (1119-1164); tenor: 75th Emperor of Japan.
In Act I he appears first as a lowly woodcutter, then as the spirit of Emperor Sutoku.
In Act II he appears as the young deposed Emperor and in Act III again as Sutoku’s spirit.
Sutoku is the main character of this musical drama.
Sutoku ascended the throne when he was five years-old and was deposed by Toba at the age of twenty six.
Toba further ensured the end of Sutoku’s line by excluding Sutoku’s son Shigehito from the line of succession.
This move prevented Sutoku from regaining power as retired-emperor, as, under the established practice of the time,
it was the father as retired-emperor who actually governed in the stead of a young emperor.
Thus on the death of Senior Retired-Emperor Shirakawa,
it was Retired-Emperor Toba who, despite knowing that Sutoku was not his real son, governed in place of the young Emperor Sutoku.
It was widely believed at the time that the imperial succession would go to Sutoku and his descendants.
However, on the birth of a son to his much-beloved second consort Bifukumon-in,
Retired-Emperor Toba forced Sutoku to relinquish the throne so that this son,
Prince Narihito, could become emperor.
Then on the premature death of Narihito, Toba acceded to Bifukumon-in’s wishes and installed Prince Masahito,
his fourth son and another of Sutoku’s younger half-brothers, as emperor.
This move effectively ousted Sutoku and his descendants from the imperial succession.
Sutoku’s clan rebelled, resulting in the Hogen Civil War in which Sutoku was utterly defeated.
Those loyal to Sutoku were sentenced to death or exile and
Sutoku himself was banished to the Island of Naoshima in Sanuki province ( present-day Shikoku ).
At 45 years old, Sutoku died in exile, alone and abandoned, consumed with hatred. His tomb lies in Shiramine, the setting for this story.
SHIRAKAWA Tadahito (1053-1129); bass baritone; in his late sixties: 72nd Emperor of Japan. In 1086 Emperor Shirakawa abdicated in favour of his son Horikawa and took the tonsure. However, Horikawa died when he was just 28 years-old and his eldest son, the four year-old Toba, became emperor. Despite having abdicated and having entered monastic orders, it was Shirakawa who actually governed in Toba’s stead, thus instituting the practice of rule by retired or cloistered emperor. Shirakawa’s adopted daughter, Taikenmon-in Akiko, became Toba’s Empress Consort. However, when the young Emperor Toba was 20 years-old, Shirakawa had him removed from the throne in favour of Sutoku. According to one version, which this story follows, Sutoku was Shirakawa’s own son with Taikenmon-in Akiko conceived when Shirakawa was 66 years-old. According to another version, Sutoku was the son of Saigyo and Taikenmon-in.
FUJIWARA NO YORINAGA (1120-1156); tenor; in his early thirties: Member of the powerful Fujiwara family, he was Minister of the Left (East) to Emperor Sutoku whilst his elder brother Tadamichi served as Grand Chancellor to Retired-Emperor Toba. The rivalry between the two brothers was a contributing factor in the outbreak of the Hogen Civil War. Yorinaga, serious, versed in the sciences and highly intelligent, far surpassed his elder brother. According to the Tale of the Hogen Civil War, Yorinaga was hit by an arrow during the battle and died several days later of his wounds. Here, he has a more dramatic death; dying on the battlefield itself.
TOBA Munehito (1103-1156); upper baritone or tenor: 74th Emperor of Japan. Toba ascended the throne when he was four years-old on the death of his father Emperor Horikawa. At sixteen, he married eighteen-year-old Taikenmon-in Akiko. Emperor Toba was succeeded by Sutoku, ostensibly his first son with Taikenmon-in Akiko, but of whom in fact he was not the real father. As retired-emperor, Toba later dethroned Sutoku in favour of Konoe Narihito, his son with his beloved second consort Bifukumon-in Tokuko. This was another factor leading to the outbreak of the Hogen Civil War. Toba was an accomplished gagaku flautist
TAIKENMON-IN Akiko (1101-1145); soprano: Adopted daughter of Emperor Shirakawa, at eighteen years-old she became Toba’s Empress Consort. Historically she was the mother of both Sutoku and the future Emperor Goshirakawa and in actual fact had died well before the outbreak of the Hogen Civil War. Here, however, for heightened dramatic effect, she is still alive and sides with Sutoku against Bifukumon-in.
BIFUKUMON-IN Tokuko (1117-1160); soprano; in her early thirties: Much-beloved second consort of Emperor Toba. Their two-year old son, Konoe Narihito (1139-1155), became the 76th Emperor when Toba dethroned Sutoku. However, Konoe died prematurely at just sixteen years-old and just a year before his father’s own death. Believing Sutoku to have caused the death of her son through sorcery, Bifukumon-in was filled with an intense hatred for Sutoku and did everything in her power to remove him and his descendants from the imperial succession. To this end, she obtained from the dying Toba that he name his fourth son Masahito as emperor instead of Shigehito, Sutoku’s eldest son. This was the final spark that ignited the Hogen Civil War of 1156.
However, it would not be fair to attribute sole responsibility for these troubles to Bifukumon-in. Blinded by an overwhelming maternal love, she merely exploited an arbitrary system of imperial succession and the ambitions of powerful families for her son’s benefit. Behind the brilliant facade of the Heian court, a hidden side of society can be glimpsed, where thirst for power, deep hatred and desire for revenge bred a climate of betrayal and assassination.
FUJIWARA NO TADAMICHI (1097-1164); baritone; in his late forties: Grand Chancellor of Emperor Toba and elder brother of Yorinaga by a different mother. In conflict with his younger brother ever since their father, Fujiwara no Tadazane, preferring Yorinaga, had conferred the right of lineage to the latter. They also vied for political power, so when Yorinaga gave his eight-year old adopted daughter Tashi in marriage to the young nine-year old emperor Konoe, Tadamichi immediately followed suit by giving his own adopted daughter in marriage to Konoe too. The rivalry between the two brothers was yet another contributing factor in the outbreak of the Hogen Civil War. Tadamichi was an accomplished calligrapher.
GOSHIRAKAWA Masahito (1127-1192); baritone; in his thirties: 77th Emperor of Japan. Here, he only appears in the judgment scene (Act II., scene VII.). Ascending the throne during a period of great turmoil, Goshirakawa, a veteran politician, fought the emerging warrior class from his retreat and assured rule by cloistered emperor for five generations of retired-emperor to come.
Imperial Chamberlain to both Shirakawa and Toba; baritone; in his late fifties; played by the same actor.
Two nursemaids to the infant Emperor Konoe Narihito; alto and soprano; comic interlude.
Two soldiers of the Sutoku faction; baritone and tenor.
Chorus.
(English translation : Vivian Nobes)
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