PART 1: SOME BACKGROUND
Finding out what film composers will come to perform or conduct in Japan can be a pretty random thing: an ad might pop up suddenly on my Facebook feed, a friend might message me when something has been announced, or I might just stumble on a giant advertising poster in Shinjuku station as I did with the Elfman/Burton Halloween concert in 2016.
But for the Japan premiere of Alexandre Desplat’s new chamber opera, EN SILENCE, I remember actively using Google to seek out any upcoming soundtrack-related concerts in Japan. Tired of doing searches in English that turned up little to nothing, I decided to start searching in Japanese and my efforts immediately paid off when I found the event listing for EN SILENCE.
To be honest, I could not believe my eyes! Alexandre Desplat, the two-time Oscar-winning composer and go-to film composer for the likes of Roman Polanski, Wes Anderson and Stephen Daldry, coming to Japan to conduct his latest opera? “No way!” I thought. But sure enough, he came to Japan, conducted his opera, and even managed to have time to conduct pre- and post-opera interviews!
PART 2: PRE-OPERA TALK AT INSTITUT FRANCAIS, TOKYO
“FILM MUSIC MAESTRO ALEXANDRE DESPLAT TALKS ABOUT THE WORLD OF MUSIC”
Live interview with Alexandre Desplat & Solrey
January 23, 2020
Institut Francais
Tokyo, Japan
(this report was originally written on Jan. 23, 2020 – just after the event)
As part of Desplat’s whirlwind trip of Japan, he and his artistic partner and wife, Solrey, gave a live interview at Institut Francais Tokyo two days before the concert.
Concerned that the free event would soon reach capacity and that we’d be turned away, my two friends and I turned up to Institut Francais an hour early. As soon as we got there, we were surprised to find a small line of people already waiting.
We were led into the main auditorium an hour later and sat patiently yet nervously while we waited for Desplat to appear – it is not every day that you get to hear a two-time Oscar-winning composer talk about their craft live!
Desplat and Solrey finally came out and we were all starstruck!
It didn’t matter that the interview was in two languages that I am equally bad at – French and Japanese – just being there was all that mattered.
Some parts of the interview were clear, like how he appreciates Japanese composers like Joe Hisaishi and Toru Takemitsu.
Other parts not so, probably because they were drowned out by the noise of someone fast asleep in the row behind me!
During the Q&A session I wish I had asked if he had actually written any music for ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. If yes, I would have asked him to whistle his take on the “The Imperial Suite.” Maybe next time 😆
Immediately after the talk concluded, we followed the crowd of people rushing out to try grab an autograph before he left the venue.
He kindly signed my LITTLE WOMEN vinyl jacket, which is currently nominated for a Best Score Oscar 🎶 Fingers crossed he wins! (note: he didn’t win unfortunately)
My two friends and I finished off the evening with Italian for dinner and our newly autographed Desplat albums sitting proudly with us on the dining table. What a night!
PART 3: OPERA REPORT
EN SILENCE: A CHAMBER OPERA
Music composed and conducted by Alexandre Desplat
Libretto by Alexandre Desplat and Solrey (in French with Japanese subtitles)
Adapted from the short story by Yasunari Kawabata
January 25, 2020
Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall
Kanagawa, Japan
(this report was originally written on Jan. 25, 2020 – just after the opera)
(For a very well-written and in-depth review of EN SILENCE, please read Valentin Maniglia’s review at Score It Magazine. My report is burgers and fries compared to Valentin’s excellent review!)
A small and quaint concert hall was the venue for Alexandre Desplat’s latest creation, EN SILENCE: A CHAMBER OPERA.
Adapted from Nobel Prize-winning Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata’s short story “Mute,” this three-act opera was conducted by Desplat from the side of the stage with a handful of musicians performing the music live and centre stage in the background. It was spoken in French with Japanese subtitles appearing simultaneously on the sides of the stage on large digital sign boards.
As my French and Japanese are nowhere near the level required to follow a story of this philosophical complexity in real-time, it was hard to fully appreciate the opera. I can however comment on the music and what impression it made.
The music of EN SILENCE was mysterious, slightly menacing, sometimes quirky, but never played to Japanese stereotypes. It focused solely on the emotions and motivations of the characters in that inimitable Desplat style, and these feelings were complimented by the surreal video images produced by Solrey that played during key moments of the opera.
It was a different and daring opera to be sure, but it was well received by the appreciative Japanese audience.
The opera was followed by a short and enlightening talk with Desplat and Solrey. At one point, Desplat slipped into English and was quickly reminded by the interpreter to stick to his native French!
PART 4: MEETING ALEXANDRE DESPLAT & JOE HISAISHI
Once again, with a pack of crazed autograph hunters, we patiently waited in the cold outside the stage exit after the opera. After an hour of waiting, a familiar face walked out: Joe Hisaishi! Unbeknownst to us, he had come to meet Desplat and see the opera with his daughter, Mai, the noted vocalist who performed on Desplat’s score for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. He quickly navigated his way through the crowd and hopped into his flashy red Mercedes and sped away.
Our two hours of waiting was finally rewarded when Desplat walked out, signed AND personalized everything put in front of him! In fact, the very first thing he said to my friend who was first in line was, “what’s your name?” If that’s not a sign of how kind Desplat is to his fans, I don’t know what is.
When I told him my name he asked if I was French. I replied with “no, my parents named me after Alain Delon.” True story! He then kindly signed my piano sheet music for “Dinner Waltz” from LUST, CAUTION.
I then promised that I would play it from now on with as few errors as possible (damn those four sharps and naturals!) to which he gave a large chuckle – see picture below.
My friends and I all left on cloud nine, so glad we had braved the cold to see our hero not only conduct new music, but also spare his time to autograph our favorite scores.
I am certain we will all go home and listen to (or perform 😅) these scores with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and appreciation.
PART 5: OVER TO YOU
Did you also go to this opera? How did you like it?
And what did you think of my report? Feel free to comment below or reach out to me directly in the “Contact Me” section.