Dejima Opera
Set in 19th-century Japan and based on true events, the historical opera Dejima unfolds as a timeless tale of courage, adventure, betrayal, and doomed love.
Story
The Dejima Opera is inspired by a true story.
In 1823, German physician and scientist Philipp Franz von Siebold became the first Westerner granted imperial permission to study Japan’s unique flora and fauna.
Stationed on Dejima—a tiny Dutch trading post and Japan’s sole gateway to the West from 1641 to 1859—his journey unfolds on this isolated island in Nagasaki Bay. There, he falls in love with a Japanese woman, Sonogi, and they have a child.
But their love story takes a tragic turn when Von Siebold attempts to send a shipment of scientific artifacts back to Europe. Just as the ship is about to depart, a violent storm forces it onto the rocks. Acting on a secret tip, authorities inspect the wreckage and discover a map of Japan — an item strictly forbidden to foreigners. In the eyes of the regime, this constitutes espionage, a crime punishable by death.
Betrayed by an unknown informant, Von Siebold is torn from his family and exiled from Japan. It will be thirty long years before he is reunited with the woman and child he was forced to leave behind.
During the opera, the informant, burdened by guilt, seeks redemption. To purify his soul, he must confess to the Japanese Gods, the Kami.
Premiere
Following a successful concert version at Tokyo Opera City in October 2018 — featuring Ensemble Nomad among others — the opera has now entered its next stage of development. This milestone comes after years of dedicated research into Japanese history, culture, and traditional music. Although several preview performances have already been held in both Japan and the Netherlands, the artistic journey toward completing this monumental work continues.
With its extraordinary fusion of instruments and cultural elements from both Japan and the West, the beauty of this opera is unlike anything else.
We look forward to announcing soon the co-producing partners, artistic team, and performers who will help bring this unique work to life.
Elements
In the opera’s narrative and music, Japanese and Western elements intertwine to forge a new, distinctive language. At the heart of this fusion lies the concept of MA — the Japanese idea of negative space and silence.
MA is not simply absence; it is the space between things, the pause between moments, and the profound notion that "truth resides in the spaces between." In this opera, MA is brought to life as a character in its own right. The orchestration of Dejima brings together a Western orchestra and traditional Japanese instruments, such as the Koto, Shamisen, Sho, and Shakuhachi, creating a harmonious blend that reflects the merging of cultures.
