On October 6, I went to see This Is the Moment! at Suntory Hall, celebrating Frank Wildhorn’s 25th anniversary in Japan. What a wonderful evening.
My dear friend Kanji Ishimaru (@team_kanji) performed beautifully, and Akihiro Shiota conducted the magnificent orchestra. Congratulations to the entire cast!
Most of all, I was so happy to see Frank again. Thank you to Michael Staringer, my longtime friend and Frank’s manager, for making our reunion possible.
The programme included a timeline of Frank’s work in Japan. There was MITSUKO, the musical about Mitsuko Aoyama and Austrian diplomat Heinrich von Coudenhove. Toko (Kei Aran) and I played the two leading roles, and there was even a photograph of us. Seeing it brought back so many memories.
In 2010, I played Heinrich in the Frank & Friends / MITSUKO concert in Japan. I was supposed to sing in German, but director Shūichirō Koike asked me to learn “Love Transcends Borders” in Japanese. I had only twelve days.
I practised like crazy, but on the day of the concert, I still needed my notes. I asked to hold a small card onstage, but the producers said no: if I wasn’t sure, I should sing in German.
“Okay, then there’s no turning back,” I thought.
As the introduction began, I took a deep breath backstage and told myself, “Until now, I couldn’t do it—but tonight, I will.”
I walked onstage and sang the entire song in Japanese for the first time, without a mistake.
Afterwards, Frank told me I had done a wonderful job. He said a full production of MITSUKO was planned for the following year and wanted to support my dream of joining the Japanese cast.
In 2011, I became Heinrich in the world premiere of MITSUKO—my first leading role in Japanese. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. The choices I made and the commitment I gave to that production, amid the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, connected me to Japan forever.
Looking back on Frank’s extraordinary career, I feel deeply honoured to have been part of his story through Frank & Friends and MITSUKO.
Thank you, Frank. I will never forget what your belief in me made possible. I’m so grateful we could see each other again.
#ワイルドホーン日本初演25thコンサート
『This is the Moment!~フランク・ワイルドホーン JAPAN 25th anniversary concert~』
音楽監督・指揮 :塩田明弘
リハーサルの様子を〜
精鋭のオーケストラメンバーです♪
フランクさんもいらっしゃいました。
1997年ブロードウェイでの「ジキル&ハイド」の稽古から、約30年のお付き合いです!