Aveline Kirana
The world premiere of Dai Fujikura’s opera "The Great Wave," presented by Scottish Opera as a centerpiece of its highly anticipated 2025-26 season, has ignited considerable discussion within the artistic community and beyond. With a libretto penned by Harry Ross, the opera draws inspiration from Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic woodblock print, "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," aiming to explore the legendary artist’s creative drive, life, and philosophy. The extensive pre-performance media coverage, including a notable interview with composer Fujikura on BBC Radio 3, cultivated high expectations among a sold-out audience for its opening night.
Genesis of an Operatic Vision
The genesis of "The Great Wave" lies in the enduring power of Hokusai’s most celebrated artwork. The instantly recognizable image, depicting a colossal blue wave menacing small boats with Mount Fuji looming in the distance, serves as the operatic centerpiece. This visual anchor is meticulously woven into a narrative designed to illuminate the complex inner world of the artist. The opera, structured into five acts and thirteen scenes, eschews a linear progression, commencing with Hokusai’s funeral. This unconventional opening then propels the audience backward in time, exploring the formative events and circumstances that shaped Hokusai’s artistic approach. The journey culminates in a poignant final scene where Hokusai, confronting his mortality, bestows his paintbrush upon his daughter, Ei, symbolizing the continuation of an artistic legacy.
While the selected incidents are drawn directly from Hokusai’s tumultuous life—including a dramatic lightning strike, illicit trade with Dutch missions, the devastating fire that destroyed his Asakusa studio in 1839, and persistent struggles with debt—the opera is not a literal biographical account. Librettist Harry Ross has infused the narrative with a significant fictional layer. This includes the imaginative construction of dialogue, the development of character personalities, and the portrayal of emotional landscapes. Furthermore, the inclusion of two poetical dream sequences introduces a surrealist dimension, offering deeper, often unsettling, insights into Hokusai’s character and motivations.
The Artist and His Art: A Symbiotic Relationship
At its core, "The Great Wave" endeavors to dissect Hokusai’s profound relationship with his art. The opera vividly portrays him as a man sustained by his painting, which is presented as the primary source of his joy and the central organizing principle of his existence. Material concerns such as money and financial security are relegated to secondary importance, even when their neglect leads to tangible negative consequences. Despite enduring physical privations, Hokusai is consistently depicted as an optimistic and ebullient figure, buoyed by his artistic endeavors. His relentless pursuit of ambition and his constant refrain, a desire for "another 10 years" of life to continue his work, underscore his unwavering dedication. The opera highlights his mentorship of his daughter, Ei, encouraging her to follow in his artistic footsteps, thereby ensuring the perpetuation of their creative lineage.
However, from a purely dramatic standpoint, the opera’s execution has been met with mixed reviews. While certain moments undeniably captured the audience’s attention, such as Hokusai’s dream sequence in Act One where he vividly imagines battling the iconic wave, and a gripping confrontation scene in Act Three between his grandson and creditors, the work generally struggled to maintain consistent momentum and the requisite dramatic tension to sustain full engagement throughout its duration. A significant portion of the responsibility for these dramatic shortcomings is attributed to the composer, Fujikura, whose musical choices are seen by some critics as underscoring the work’s structural challenges.
Musical Tapestry and Contextual Resonance
The musical score for "The Great Wave" was conceived for a standard symphony orchestra, augmented by the inclusion of a shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese longitudinal wooden flute. The instrument, masterfully played by Shozan Hasegawa, served as a crucial sonic bridge, effectively connecting the opera’s musical language to its Japanese cultural context and imbuing it with a distinctive local flavor. The shakuhachi’s unique timbre added a rich textural quality to the orchestral soundscape, enhancing its depth and complexity. Hasegawa’s artistic freedom to interpret the music in his own way also injected an element of improvisational interest and a subtle frisson that, for some, may have been conspicuously absent in other aspects of the score.
Conductor Stuart Stratford led the Scottish Opera Orchestra in a reading described as sensitive and balanced. He succeeded in evoking the raw power of the natural world, vividly portraying the fury of storms and the turbulence of a raging sea. These sonic depictions were effectively contrasted with the gentler sounds of the ebbing and flowing tide, which underpinned various musical passages. While the music itself was deemed reasonably successful, many critics found it to be too restrained dramatically, failing to adequately support the vocal text. The score frequently erred on the side of understatement, with Fujikura appearing hesitant to bring scenes to decisive conclusions, allowing them instead to meander, thereby diminishing their potential impact. A degree of pruning, it is suggested, could have significantly benefited the work.
Directorial Vision and Staging Innovations
Director Satoshi Miyagi has been commended for his meticulous construction of each scene, skillfully allowing the visual power of Hokusai’s iconic prints to dominate the narrative without resorting to overt didacticism. A pivotal moment occurred just before the interval, when a magnified projection of "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" was unveiled on stage for the first time. This colossal image dwarfed the figures positioned before it, dramatically revealing the print’s inherent power and energy in its full glory. The production also incorporated other significant works by Hokusai, including further depictions of Mount Fuji and his more risqué print, "The Fisherman’s Wife and the Octopus," adding layers of visual commentary.
Miyagi’s direction was particularly successful in capturing the nuanced personalities of the characters. Hokusai’s fun-loving, carefree demeanor was effectively juxtaposed with his unwavering dedication to his art. The director’s inspired decision to include the "spirit of Hokusai" as a spectral observer allowed the artist to witness his own funeral and the unfolding of his artistic life, lending the production an additional dimension that illuminated his motivations and complex personality.
The chorus scenes were expertly managed and choreographed by Akiko Kitamura. The Act One storm sequence, for instance, was a visual triumph. The chorus, holding umbrellas and moving against a simulated gale, created a powerful impression of nature’s overwhelming force. Similarly, the boatmen, employing their oars to generate a visually captivating scene, demonstrated a keen understanding of stagecraft.
The staging, featuring sets by Junpei Kiz and costumes by Kayo Takahashi Deschene, adopted a largely monochromatic palette. This deliberate choice served to amplify the visual impact of the Prussian blue "Great Wave" when it was finally revealed. The black and white costumes, inspired by traditional Japanese attire, were further enhanced by Hokusai and Ei being dressed in blue during the opera’s later scenes, a subtle but effective visual cue.
However, the production was not without its shortcomings. The final act, in particular, proved problematic. The appearance of a large paper tiger and dragon, drawn from Hokusai’s second dream sequence, and their parade across a stage crowded with characters, chorus, screens, and the "Great Wave" backdrop, had the potential for a visually spectacular episode. Instead, it devolved into a scene described as chaotic and uncoordinated, a marked departure from the meticulously crafted scenes of earlier acts. Despite these criticisms, Miyagi’s overall staging was largely deemed successful, though it could not entirely compensate for the pervasive lack of dramatic tension, exacerbated by the meandering musical passages that led to periods of audience disengagement.
Vocal Performances: A Spectrum of Character
The role of Katsushika Hokusai was compellingly portrayed by baritone Daisuke Ohyama. Ohyama delivered a convincing performance, effectively conveying Hokusai’s profound love for his art and his daughter, as well as his general disregard for material wealth. Beyond these overt traits, Ohyama managed to imbue the character with his sense of humor, his innate optimism, and the genuine joy he derived from human connection, thereby presenting Hokusai as a fully realized individual rather than a mere artistic archetype. Ohyama’s versatile vocal expressivity lent itself well to the character’s predominantly positive emotions, quickly endearing him to the audience. A touch of comedic brilliance was evident in his exaggerated, mocking attempt to solicit funds from his agent, showcasing his adeptness at mimicry. A minor criticism noted was an occasional loss of vocal focus.
Soprano Julieth Lozano Rolong took on the role of Hokusai’s daughter, Ei. She portrayed her as a devoted daughter, deeply committed to her father and his artistic legacy, while also forging her own path as an artist. Rolong’s voice, characterized by its bright, fresh quality, soared freely in her upper register. While possessing a strong, piercing tone, it remained consistently pleasant and effectively conveyed Ei’s emotional range.
Bass Edward Hawkins demonstrated his versatility by undertaking a double role as the Merchant Patron, Takai Kōzan, who offers Hokusai a new studio after the fire, and his original publisher, Eirakuya Tōshirō. Hawkins skillfully brought these two distinct characters to life through his clear, well-defined acting and expressive, nuanced singing. His portrayal of Tōshirō was sympathetic and good-natured, while his Kōzan was depicted as hard-headed and formidable.
Tenor Shengzhi Ren also performed a dual role, appearing as the Sweetshop Owner and as his publisher, Nishimuraya Yohachi. Ren’s singing, marked by clear articulation and a pleasing, sympathetic lilt, facilitated the creation of two distinct and memorable characterizations.
Tenor Luvo Maranti made a strong impression during his brief stage time as Hokusai’s anxious and frightened grandson, desperately attempting to evade his aggressive creditors. Maranti’s performance was characterized by vocal quality and a palpable sense of agitation and fear, perfectly capturing the character’s desperate plight.
Mezzo-soprano Chloe Harris was cast as Kōto, Hokusai’s wife. Despite the role’s relative minor nature and limited impact on the narrative, Harris managed to command attention with an expressive, articulate, and well-balanced performance.
Collin Shay’s pleasing countertenor was a delight in the role of the Dutch merchant, Dr. Philipp Franz von Siebold, adding a unique vocal color to the production.
Broader Implications and Artistic Legacy
In summation, "The Great Wave" is an opera that, while rich in admirable qualities and artistic ambition, ultimately falters in its dramatic cohesion. The libretto, though conceptually sound, may have been better suited to a shorter, more focused musical structure. Fujikura’s composition, while often beautiful and atmospheric, frequently ventured into long, reflective passages that, while aesthetically pleasing, risked allowing the audience’s minds to wander from the central narrative, thereby undermining the dramatic tension. To a degree, and without overstating the case, there were discernible influences from slower-moving theatrical traditions, such as Japanese Nōh plays, which can present a challenge for some segments of the audience accustomed to more conventional operatic pacing.
The opera’s premiere at Scottish Opera represents a significant investment in new artistic works, particularly those that explore cross-cultural themes and contemporary musical languages. The critical reception, while highlighting areas for improvement, also acknowledges the bravery of the undertaking. The production’s success in visually evoking Hokusai’s world, coupled with the strength of individual performances, suggests that "The Great Wave" may find its audience and evolve over time. The engagement with traditional Japanese art forms and musical elements through the lens of Western opera offers a fertile ground for future artistic exploration, potentially bridging cultural divides and enriching the global operatic landscape. The debate surrounding its dramatic efficacy, however, underscores the perennial challenge of balancing artistic innovation with the fundamental demands of theatrical storytelling.
