Chinmoku (opera)

Work data
Title:	Chinmoku (silence)
Original title:	沈 黙
Shape:	Opera in two acts (16 acts)
Original language:	Japanese
Music:	Matsumura Teizo
Libretto :	Matsumura Teizo
Literary source:	Roman Chinmoku by Endō Shūsaku
Premiere:	1993
Place of premiere:	Tokyo , Chiyoda , Nissay Theater
Playing time:	approx. 2 hours 10 min.
Place and time of the action:	Macau and Nagasaki Area, 16th Century
people
Rodrigues, young Portuguese missionary Ferreira, a missionary student of Rodrigues, who is based on the historical person Cristóvão Ferreira . At the time of his reunion with Rodrigues, however, he renounced the faith and has been involved in the persecution of Christians ever since Father Valignano, priest and head of a mission school in Macau Kichijirō, believer and companion of Rodrigues, who renounces his belief under threat of torture Mokichi, very devout Christian who is martyred Oharu, young Christian and lover of Mokichi, who goes mad over his execution, is arrested and dies Omatsu a young Jisama old man Chōkichi Inoue, provincial administrator of Chikugo

Chinmoku ( Japanese 沈 黙 , dt. "Silence") is an opera in two acts by the Japanese composer Matsumura Teizo based on the historical novel of the same name by Endo Shūsaku from 1966.

The Suntory Foundation for Art ( サ ン ト リ ー 芸 術 財 団 ) commissioned Teizō Matsumura in 1980 to compose an opera. Matsumura himself chose the material and the template for the opera. The opera was supposed to be completed within five years, but in the end Matsumura, who wrote the composition and the libretto , worked on it for 13 years until it was completed in 1993. The opera was opened in the same year under the direction of Hiroshi Wakasugi for the 30th anniversary of the opening at the Nissay Theater Premiered.

action

first act

The action begins with a scene in which crucified Christians are burned on the cross. Among these Christians are Kichijirō's parents and sister. The setting changes to a church in Macau, on the Portuguese-colonized mainland. The young Portuguese missionary Rodrigues is urgent to leave for Japan, but his interlocutor, Father Valignano, who knows about the increasing oppression of Christians in Japan, tries to dissuade Rodrigues from his plan. Rodrigues, who at the end shows himself unreasonable, embarks against the advice with his companion Kichijirō to Japan to find his missing missionary student Ferreira and to help the Japanese Christians.

Having landed secretly in Japan, Rodrigues began his missionary work in the Tomogi Congregation in Nagasaki, where he prayed with the congregation members. However, the happy days of piety do not last long. Officials appear in the community and arrest the residents in order to subject them to a test, the fummy , that is, the stepping of pictures. Mokichi is crucified on the coast with other parishioners who refused to practice the fumie. The crucified drown praying in the sea. Oharu, Mokichi's young lover, goes mad over the mourning for the loss of her lover. Confronted with the harsh reality of Japanese Christians, Rodrigues is tormented by a feeling of powerlessness. In this situation, officials reappear and arrest him. His companion Kichijirō had revealed the whereabouts of Rodrigues in exchange for his own safety.

Second act

In prison, Rodrigues learns that his student Ferreira has renounced Christianity and is now living with a woman and under a Japanese name. Inoue, provincial administrator of Chikugo and Nagasaki, announces that all disciples and followers of Rodrigues will be abandoned at sea if he does not renounce Christianity. While Rodrigues has to watch from the prison as the Christians are brought out to sea, Ferreira appears in prison to persuade him to renounce. Disgusted by Ferreira apostasy, he chases him away. On the eve of his execution, Rodrigues compares his emotional state with that of Christ on the cross. He is irritated by the snoring of the drunken prison guards and dismayed when he notices that the noises are the creaking of the gallows with hanged Christians. So many Christians had suffered because of him. In his need he prays to God, but all he receives is silence. Heartbroken, he steps on an image of Christ.

Productions

• June 2015 New National Theater Tokyo , direction: Shimono Tatsuya

Recordings and CDs

• 2010 Teizo Matsumura (1929-2007): Silence. Camerata, 11M085

See also

• the historical person Alessandro Valignano

Web links

• Silence. Opera Information Center of Showa University of Music, 2016, accessed December 2, 2016 . 

Remarks

1. ↑ The person of the Oharu is a creation of Matsumura, which does not appear in Endō's novel.
2. ↑ In this test everyone has to trample Christian symbols individually. Since Christians these symbols are sacred, they will refuse to step in the picture, whereby they reveal themselves as Christians - so the conception of the Shogunate.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Silence. Opera Information Center of Showa University of Music, 2016, accessed December 2, 2016 . 
2. ↑ オ ペ ラ 沈 黙 松 村 禎 三 ＝ 作曲 遠藤 周 作 ＝ 原作 新 国立 劇場 中 劇場 . Theater Angel, February 16, 2012, accessed December 2, 2016 (Japanese). 
3. ↑ ^{a b} Silence. New National Theater Tokyo, accessed December 2, 2016 . 
4. ↑ 沈 黙 . New National Theater Toyko, 2015, accessed December 2, 2016 (Japanese). 
5. ↑ Teizo Matsumura. Records International, 2016, accessed December 1, 2016 .