🤖 AI Summary
Based on the information provided, here are key points about the Institute of Research in Opera and Music Theatre at Waseda University:
1. **Founding and Evolution:**
- Established as part of an initiative by Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum and Theatre Research Center.
- Part of the "21st Century COE Program" focusing on comprehensive research on theatre.
- Continued activities under subsequent programs until evolving into a Project Research Institute in 2011.
2. **Focus Areas:**
- Prioritized areas include Opera and Dance, Opera and Literature, and Opera and Media.
- Added "The Future of Opera Theatres" as a new theme for the 2026 academic year, incorporating various fields' expertise (nine institute members + 40 visiting researchers from 30 institutions outside Waseda).
3. **Integration of Practice and Research:**
- Emphasizes both stage practice and academic research.
- Collaborative projects involve performing artists in symposiums and lectures.
4. **Historical and Contemporary Focus:**
- Examines historical norms and norms developing for the future, such as Baroque opera (e.g., Alessandro Scarlatti's work).
- Explores connections between ballet and opera through historical contexts like Asakusa Opera in Japan.
- Addresses contemporary issues including diversity and inclusion on stage and new ways theatre engages with society.
5. **Community Engagement:**
- Operates the "Opera Research Society" open to students and the general public, involving approximately 150 members.
6. **Research Themes and Initiatives:**
- Examines opera's relationship with various academic disciplines.
- Seeks to promote understanding of opera as a dynamic art form relevant to modern audiences.
7. **Mission:**
- Aims to integrate scholarship and practice, providing a platform for interdisciplinary research and collaboration among academics and practitioners.
8. **Engagement with Future Trends:**
- Addresses the evolving role of opera in contemporary society, including issues related to diversity, inclusion, and new performance contexts such as educational outreach and health/wellness initiatives.
In summary, this institute serves as a unique space where academic research meets practical application, fostering innovation and engagement across multiple disciplines while also addressing current challenges faced by the performing arts.
Stage Practice and Academic Research Resonating at Waseda
“If you have a chance, you should visit a theatre. You might find yourself unexpectedly hooked,” says Director Michiko Ishii with evident enthusiasm. She maintains that opera/music theatre is by no means an inaccessible art form, nor entertainment reserved for a select group of enthusiasts. It is a comprehensive art form that, while standing on tradition, reflects various aspects of society and continues to evolve with an eye toward the future. Drawn by the unique possibilities of this field, researchers, practitioners, students, and members of the wider community come together as part of a vibrant research community that is active every day.
◆The World of Opera/Music Theatre, Brimming with Diverse Academic Possibilities
—What is the significance of studying opera/music theatre at Waseda University rather than at an arts-focused university?
ISHII, Michiko (Director/Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Music theatre, including opera and musicals, encompasses a great many elements and can be considered a comprehensive art form that can be illuminated from various perspectives.
Beyond the artistic practice of singing, acting, directing, and creating stage design, there are connections to diverse academic fields such as literature, theatre studies, musicology, dance studies, fine arts, film studies, and media studies, making interdisciplinary approaches possible. The relationship with the social context of each era and historical considerations also become subjects of research. There is an appeal quite different from studying at a specialized university such as an arts or music school, and a world of scholarship unfolds that can only be experienced at a comprehensive university like Waseda.
—So this research institute was established as a place to bring together such knowledge scattered throughout the university.
That’s right. While Waseda has no department or major dedicated specifically to opera/music theatre, there has been an accumulation of research conducted individually across various fields. It was, so to speak, a division of labor. This was true not only of Waseda but of Japanese academia as a whole, and until this research institute was established, there were hardly any places or opportunities for comprehensive research on opera/music theatre. The thinking was that rather than working separately, coming together would deepen the field as an academic discipline. It would also be effective for information exchange among researchers and the development of young scholars, potentially leading to greater advancement. I was told that the institute was founded based on these aspirations—though I myself was not among the original members.
—That was in 2002, I understand. You have continued your activities for quite a long time.
Yes. It began as part of an initiative by Waseda University’s Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum and Theatre Research Center, which was selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “21st Century COE Program.” Under the broad theme of “Comprehensive Research on Theatre and the Establishment of Theatre Studies,” the “Comprehensive Research Project on Opera/Music Theatre” was launched. Building on those achievements, activities continued in the subsequent “Global COE Program,” and in 2011 the organization evolved into its current form as one of the Project Research Institutes. During this time, we held over 200 research meetings in total, advancing collaborative research involving researchers from other universities and exchanges with those involved in actual productions.
—Do performers, directors, and musicians who are actually working on stage also participate in the research activities?
The Establishment and Development of Baroque Opera Norms One of our fundamental policies is “the integration and coexistence of operatic stage practice and academic research,” and we are also actively engaged in activities such as actually staging operas through collaborative projects with such individuals, combined with related lectures and symposiums. For example, in December of last year (2025), we held the “Symposium Commemorating the 300th Anniversary of Alessandro Scarlatti’s Death: The Establishment and Development of Baroque Opera Norms,” complete with musical performances.
Alessandro is an opera composer of the Baroque era known alongside his son Domenico, but his true value is still being researched. The purpose of this symposium was to examine the production background and analyze works from his early, middle, and late periods, as well as their reception across Europe. Adding live performances to such research presentations deepens understanding for general audiences and researchers alike, and we have received feedback from performers saying it provides valuable stimulation for them as well.
◆The Fascination of Research: Knowing History, Observing the Present, and Envisioning the Future
—Could you tell us about the specific research themes of the Institute of Research in Opera and Music Theatre?
We had established “Opera and Dance,” “Opera and Literature,” and “Opera and Media” as priority research areas, but from the 2026 academic year, we have set our direction around four themes by adding “The Future of Opera Theatres,” with specialists from various fields collaborating on research. There are nine institute members including myself, and we have a diverse structure with 40 visiting researchers from 30 institutions outside the university. Furthermore, the “Opera Research Society,” a collaborative organization open to students and the general public, has approximately 150 members, so a collective of roughly 200 people in total is involved in research activities in various ways.
—When you mention dance, ballet comes to mind. Does it have a strong connection to opera?
Although opera and ballet are now recognized as separate genres, they actually share a common origin. They developed from court entertainment that emerged in Renaissance Italy about 400 years ago. It was a comprehensive art form with both singing and dancing. King Louis XIV of France was particularly an ardent devotee of ballet. He laid the foundation for French opera, which made extensive use of ballet,and established the Royal Academy of Dance, which would eventually become today’s Paris Opera Ballet School.
Dance in Asakusa, Ballet in Asakusa
Based on this historical background, we view ballet, dance, and other dance forms as part of opera in the broad sense, and research their relationships. In Japan during the Taisho era, the Imperial Theatre presented “opera” and “operetta,” as well as “Western dance” and “ballet” taught by G.V. Rossi, an Italian who instructed ballet there. “Asakusa Opera,” which inherited this tradition, also included works titled “Ballet,” and became a driving force for popularization in Japan. However, there are many unclear points about what kind of dance it actually was. Investigating and analyzing such historical materials is also part of this research institute’s mission. In March of last year, we held a symposium titled “Dance in Asakusa, Ballet in Asakusa,” focusing on Asakusa Opera as one example of Western dance reception in modern Japan.
—What prompted you to add “The Future of Opera Theatres” as a new theme?
I think our research until now has tended to look more toward the past. Also, in general, opera carries a somewhat old-fashioned impression, and it’s true that there is a sense of privileged exclusivity characteristic of traditional arts. Just recently, a young Hollywood actor caused controversy with disparaging remarks about opera and ballet. While the arts world strongly pushed back, it’s undeniable that there is a tendency, especially among younger generations, to dismiss these as old and uninteresting. If that’s the case, I believe we researchers must also take action to convey the reality that opera is actually diversifying and modernizing, while also exploring its future vision.
In fact, efforts are underway at opera houses around the world, including Japan, to create new operas and add new staging and interpretations to existing works. For example, even when performing the same piece with the same music and lyrics, simply changing costumes or positioning can create an entirely different experience. Who performs is also important. Discussions are taking place that address various aspects of contemporary society, such as whether there is any sense of incongruity when a foreigner plays Madame Butterfly, who should play African American roles and how, and how to portray gender issues. Beyond what’s expressed on stage, the very channels through which theatres open up to society are also changing. Educational outreach such as school partnerships and participatory workshops, and more recently expansion into health and welfare areas, are progressing, prompting a reexamination of theatres’ public role.
◆Conveying the Joy of Opera/Music Theatre to Younger Generations from the Field
—I understand your specialty is German literature and language, Professor Ishii. What led you to become interested in research on opera/music theatre?
I originally loved medieval European culture, literature, and music. I majored in literature and languages in university, so music wasn’t my research subject, but I had been going to see operas frequently since I was young. Then I learned about these research activities at Waseda, and through a fortunate connection, I joined as a member.
Viewing one art form from various angles and conducting research across specializations with many people is truly fascinating. Above all, everyone has an extraordinary passion for opera and takes pride in connecting cultures and deepening scholarship. There is great joy in being able to support opera/music theatre together with people who share these feelings.
—Is there a research theme you are currently developing?
Goethe wrote “The Sorrows of Young Werther” in the 18th century. About 100 years later, it was adapted into an opera in France. It’s one of the popular operas from the 20th century onward, and it will soon be performed as “Werther” at the New National Theatre in Japan as well (*performances begin May 24, 2026 at the New National Theatre Opera Palace).
The original work is written as letters in which the protagonist Werther confides in a friend, but in the opera, Charlotte, the woman Werther yearns for, and Albert, her fiancé who eventually becomes her husband, also appear. Each sings their feelings through the lyrics, so depending on how it’s interpreted and expressed, a different flavor emerges from the original. For example, how do Charlotte’s true feelings waver between the two men? There are many fascinating elements as research subjects—the artistry of such staging, changes from the original, and the nature of its reception in France—and I would like to address this in a symposium in the near future.
──Hearing all of this really makes me want to go to a theatre and see a performance for myself.
Yes, please do. Many theatre performances now include Japanese subtitles. The performances themselves are sung in the original language, such as Italian, but there are electronic display boards at the top or on both sides of the stage that show the lyrics and dialogue. So even without much prior knowledge, you should be able to understand the general story.
Plus, the acoustics and stage sets are magnificent. It’s well worth the visit. Ticket prices may be a bit high, but there are special prices for young people. For example, at the New National Theatre, Opera S and A seats are 5,000 yen for those 25 and under, 11,000 yen for those 39 and under, and remaining seats on the day of the performance are 50% off with a student discount (as of May 2026).
──Please tell us about your research achievements so far and your aspirations for the future.
We have presented our findings in various forms, including symposiums and monthly research meetings, but as publications accessible to everyone, we have released two books. One is “Current State of Opera/Music Theatre Research: The Dynamism of Creation and Dissemination,” published in 2021, and the other is our latest publication released in February of this year (2026), “Frontiers of Opera/Music Theatre Research: People and Society in Resonance” (both published by Suiseisha). Since project research institutes face renewal deadlines every five years, we compiled our findings accordingly. We take pride in the fact that these are unique publications where over a dozen specialists discuss the current state of opera/music theatre from multiple perspectives.
Additionally, as a research institute, we publish a biennial academic journal, “Waseda Opera and Music Theatre Studies,” which reached its fifth issue in March of this year. Please take a look at this as well.
The Institute of Research in Opera and Music Theatre started its third term in fiscal 2026, running through fiscal 2030.
Building on the collaborative network of numerous researchers established through our activities so far, we aim to further strengthen the “integration of scholarship and practice” through lecture-concerts and other events, with individual research and collaborative research as our two driving forces.
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