A new opera project taking Mori Ogai's short novel, "Vita Sexualis"(1909) as a springboard to explore themes of Relationship and Sex Education within Japan and the UK.
Stumbling across the long-forgotten diary of an ancestor,
a young woman is disappointed to find she can’t understand the written Japanese.
She asks her cousin in Japan to help her read it, only to find the book is not so much a diary,
but rather the ancestor’s attempts to write about his sex life.
Embarrassed, but curious, the cousins read on.
But has much changed since then?
Do they find it any easier to find answers to their burning questions,
to share their private thoughts and experiences?
a young woman is disappointed to find she can’t understand the written Japanese.
She asks her cousin in Japan to help her read it, only to find the book is not so much a diary,
but rather the ancestor’s attempts to write about his sex life.
Embarrassed, but curious, the cousins read on.
But has much changed since then?
Do they find it any easier to find answers to their burning questions,
to share their private thoughts and experiences?
Whilst I was reading Mori Ogai’s “Vita Sexualis”, I was saddened to hear of opposition to speaking about LGBT+ families in Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) in the UK. This became the catalyst for this project. I realised how many of the issues in Ogai’s novel are still relevant today, but how RSE must be constantly updated to be relevant and inclusive. This inspired me to create an artistic project which presents diverse experiences of RSE and encourages reflection and open discussion.
The May 2022 performances in Tokyo marked the start of this project. In the work-in-progress performances, the drama centred around two cousins as they try to decipher an ancestor's diary. As they read, they learn about the ancestor's sex life and begin to reflect on their own respective sexual and relationship history. The performance also featured audio recordings of real responses to interviews and questionnaires which invited people from diverse backgrounds, age ranges, gender identities and sexualities to reflect on their experiences of learning about relationships and sex.
We now plan to develop the work further; real responses from participants will guide how the narrative unfolds in future performances. The two cousins will open up the conversation and begin to discuss the themes with others. Audio recordings and visual displays of real responses will form an integral part of the piece. We aim to platform diverse voices and foster empathy through integrating the real-life experiences of people from a range of backgrounds.
With creative members from various backgrounds working beyond the framework of 'nationality', this project also aims to foster cultural connections through collaboration. We envisage this project as a series of performances, with each ‘episode’ being researched and performed in a different location, engaging with local artists and research participants. The series will therefore unfold over a number of years; the Tokyo 2022 'pilot' episode will be followed by performances of the first full 'episode' in the UK, 2024 (tbc).
The May 2022 performances in Tokyo marked the start of this project. In the work-in-progress performances, the drama centred around two cousins as they try to decipher an ancestor's diary. As they read, they learn about the ancestor's sex life and begin to reflect on their own respective sexual and relationship history. The performance also featured audio recordings of real responses to interviews and questionnaires which invited people from diverse backgrounds, age ranges, gender identities and sexualities to reflect on their experiences of learning about relationships and sex.
We now plan to develop the work further; real responses from participants will guide how the narrative unfolds in future performances. The two cousins will open up the conversation and begin to discuss the themes with others. Audio recordings and visual displays of real responses will form an integral part of the piece. We aim to platform diverse voices and foster empathy through integrating the real-life experiences of people from a range of backgrounds.
With creative members from various backgrounds working beyond the framework of 'nationality', this project also aims to foster cultural connections through collaboration. We envisage this project as a series of performances, with each ‘episode’ being researched and performed in a different location, engaging with local artists and research participants. The series will therefore unfold over a number of years; the Tokyo 2022 'pilot' episode will be followed by performances of the first full 'episode' in the UK, 2024 (tbc).
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"How Was It For You?" Premiere (Work-in-progress) Performances 18th May 2022, 7pm (preview) 19th May 2022, 7pm + post-talk guest, Masashi Nukata 20th May 2022, 2pm + panel discussion with the creative members of How Was It For You? 20th May 2022, 7pm + post-talk guest, Ken Takiguchi Venue: Small Hall, Toshima Civic Center, Tokyo, Japan Cast & Creatives Concept & Composer: Francesca Le Lohé Libretto: Joanna Pidcock Directed and Translated by The Creative Members of How Was It For You? Featuring: Ayako Kosaka (mezzo-soprano) Lisa Sumiyoshi (actor/jazz singer) Miyama McQueen-Tokita (koto) Stage manager: Kyoka Kawai Set design: Aimi Hayashi Sound technicians: Hisako Nakaoka, Miki Morinaga Flyer design: Eri Ikawa Videographer: Hiroyuki Kojima Creative support: Yan Chunting, Mai Sunagawa Producer: Kana Matsuo Produced by Sound & Word Network |
Special thanks
Participants in the research questionnaires and interviews, NPO Over the Moon, Alistair MacDonald, Voice Up Japan, Irotaka (SEX MUSEUM JAPAN), Administrative Scrivener Office Tokyo dream, Naoko Hasuike, Sachio Ichimura, Kang Hyeonsik, Mizuki Seto, Internship from Seikei University (Yuta Okabe, Hikaru Kasuya, Haruka Seki, Kozue Torimizu, Takeru Murakami, Aoi Muraki), Ryotaro Miyasaka, Ayano Ikegami
Supporters
Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), Help Musicians, 'ARTS for the future! 2' Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan. Developed at the Interdisciplinary Residency 2021 at Hospitalfield.