Tomita's Hansel & Gretel theatrical score remains shrouded in mystery despite being recorded in 1990.
For years searches would bring up only references to a VHS & Laser Disc (cat.#'s) release in Japan and that Tomita arranged it but nothing to see or hear.
A recent update on Tomita's website included 3 poster images for the shows for the first time.
I have gathered enough information and material to clear some of the mystery surrounding Tomita's involvement sharing it here.
Hänsel und Gretel was a German folklore fairy tale passed around verbally till 1812 when story tellers Grimm Brothers published it in print.
Based on that story the German composer Engelbert Humperdinck composed a fairy tale opera in 3 acts premiered in 1892.
In 1990 Isao Tomita arranged a score for a Japanese adaptation of the fairy tale which was also to be sung in Japanese rather than the native German.
Tomita was credited as coordinator, possibly because the score was played semi-life based on his "Sound Cloud" concerts with him conducting the life orchestra as well as mixing in his prerecorded electronic material.
The event was sponsored and held for 3 years in a row at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo around the same dates (12-16th Dec.) with 2-3 shows.
The next post will detail the performance and music including 20+ minutes of Tomita's great & rare score
For years searches would bring up only references to a VHS & Laser Disc (cat.#'s) release in Japan and that Tomita arranged it but nothing to see or hear.
A recent update on Tomita's website included 3 poster images for the shows for the first time.
I have gathered enough information and material to clear some of the mystery surrounding Tomita's involvement sharing it here.
Hänsel und Gretel was a German folklore fairy tale passed around verbally till 1812 when story tellers Grimm Brothers published it in print.
Based on that story the German composer Engelbert Humperdinck composed a fairy tale opera in 3 acts premiered in 1892.
In 1990 Isao Tomita arranged a score for a Japanese adaptation of the fairy tale which was also to be sung in Japanese rather than the native German.
Tomita was credited as coordinator, possibly because the score was played semi-life based on his "Sound Cloud" concerts with him conducting the life orchestra as well as mixing in his prerecorded electronic material.
The event was sponsored and held for 3 years in a row at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo around the same dates (12-16th Dec.) with 2-3 shows.
The next post will detail the performance and music including 20+ minutes of Tomita's great & rare score
