Kore-eda Hirokazu and the Opera

[Michael McCaskey]

Dear Alex Zahlten,

Thank you very much! Most of my students are fascinated by this film--perhaps because it has a message that most of them don't receive elsewhere. They know about Kore-eda's "Wonderful Life" novel, but it's only available in the original Japanese. This opera will give them an interesting new research resource, and a new way to relate to the film.

With Best Wishes,
Michael McCaskey

----- Original Message -----
From: Alex Zahlten <Alex.Zahlten at gmx.de>
Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2006 5:15 am
Subject: Kore-eda Hirokazu and the Opera

> Hello Kinejapaners,
> 
> as there just was a thread on Koreeda, and I don't think it's been 
> mentioned yet- my excuses if it has:
> The Holland Festival 2006, currently taking place in Amsterdam, 
> was opened with the one-act opera AFTER LIFE, composed and 
> directed by Michael van der Aa (a student of, among others, Louis 
> Andriessen). The libretto was written by Koreeda, and is based on 
> his film of the same (English) title. Apparently it incorporates 
> video sequences into the on-stage goings-on quite heavily, and 
> this point is mentioned in a lot of the (mostly favorable) reviews.
> 
> You can see a bit more about the Holland Festival under: 
> http://www.hollandfestival.nl/
> Despite the numerous remakes of Japanese films I have barely ever 
> heard of Japanese films being used for opera/musical/theater (in 
> Europe or the US); does anyone know of other examples, and how 
> they were recieved?
> 
> Alex Zahlten
> 
> -- 
> alex at nipponconnection.de
> 
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