ーー１月25日より梅田芸術劇場にて！東京公演は2月１日より東京国際フォーラム ホールCにて開幕！主演のラミン・カリムルーさんの生の声をそのままお届け！ーー
My impression of Japan is that it is an incredible place to just be, even more so to work. I’m so grateful that my career seems to have expanded here beyond just concert work. It’s very exciting to see more productions happening here (thankfully that I get to be part of) ever since Prince of Broadway, where I had the chance to play several different characters in one night. I was thrilled to be able to present that show to my supporters here and to be a part of a show which opened up avenues towards characters like Che and Bobby and also allowed me to revisit Phantom. To come back and play Che in Evita, then Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and now Anatoly in Chess keeps me inspired and very happy that this is happening here.
It’s great to be working with a cast that’s full of Japanese actors as well as performers visiting from outside of Japan.
Chess is set in the Cold War era. It’s a politically driven show in one sense, but what’s great about it is, it focuses on the characters during that time and I think that now more than ever, it is a great time to revisit this musical which also has probably the greatest scores ever written. I think we are all currently in a time that is aware of what’s going on globally, whether it’s with our own government and country, or matters we hear about in America, or England with Brexit, America and Russia, or what’s going on in Turkey or in Israel. Whether we’re there or not, it does affect us. We all have some sort of relevant connection that you’ll see in this story and I think that’s what is, sadly, relevant and great about Chess.
Anatoly is a great character, he’s a character that I’ve been wanting to play for a long time. I got a brief visit with this character in Washington at the Kennedy Center when we presented a new production of Chess, but I’m happy and thrilled to be portraying the character again, here in Japan, with Nick Winston directing a new version based on the London script which was successful and ran for three years in the West End. I’m excited to perform here with Japanese actors as well as actors who are flying in for this production. Anatoly is a character that I have a lot of sympathy and empathy for, especially because I was born in Iran and had to flee because of the government and the political situation.
I also feel a great connection with the song ‘Anthem’. As a person in this world, where I call home is something that I’m still trying to figure out, so every time I hear or sing ‘Anthem’, it rings true in my heart.
It’s going to be great to visit this character and tell the story with this amazing cast. I am truly looking forward to the audience coming to see Chess and experiencing this incredible music and a story that I’m sure we’re all going to relate to in some way.
It’s a company that, as I said before, has Japanese artists as well as us flying in and joining the incredible talent that’s here.
You are going to be part of something that’s quite magical. Thank you for your support and we’ll see you soon!
【公演概要】
作曲:ベニー・アンダーソン / ビョルン・ウルヴァース
原案・作詞:ティム・ライス
演出・振付:ニック・ウィンストン
出演:ラミン・カリムルー サマンサ・バークス ルーク・ウォルシュ 佐藤隆紀(LE VELVETS)
エリアンナ 増原英也
飯野めぐみ 伊藤広祥 大塚たかし 岡本華奈 柴原直樹 仙名立宗 染谷洸太 中井智彦 菜々香 二宮 愛 則松亜海 原田真絢
武藤 寛 森山大輔 綿引さやか 和田清香(五十音順)
公演日程:
〔大阪〕2020年 1月25日(土)~28日(火)梅田芸術劇場メインホール
〔東京〕2020年 2月 1日(土)~ 9日(日)東京国際フォーラム ホールC
お問合せ:梅田芸術劇場(10:00~18:00) 〔大阪〕06-6377-3800 〔東京〕0570-077-039
公式ホームページ:https://www.umegei.com/chessthemusical2020/
公式Twitter:@musical_chess
構成協力：佐藤たかし
