Concert review: Original singers of Studio Ghibli movies breathe life into the films on stage
Concert review: Original singers of Studio Ghibli movies breathe life into the films on stage
The Music Of Studio Ghibli Original Singers Symphony – Singapore
The Star Theatre June 11
Apart from their mix of fantasy, whimsy and emotional storytelling, music is a key reason films by Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli have charmed their way into hearts worldwide.
Largely composed by Japan's Joe Hisaishi, memorable tunes from movies such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Only Yesterday (1991), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001) and Howl's Moving Castle (2004) have been as evocative as they are moving.
These beloved theme songs came alive during a 140-minute concert at The Star Theatre on June 11, performed by their original singers and backed by the 17-member Tokyo Asia Orchestra.
The three Japanese artistes took the 3,000-strong audience on a four-decade trip down memory lane, back to the magical worlds of Japanese Shinto folklore, cursed princes and friendly wood spirits.
1. Sumi Shimamoto
The voice actress has been working with Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki even before Studio Ghibli was formed in 1985.
Shimamoto, 70, voiced the character of Lady Clarisse in Miyazaki's feature-length directorial debut Lupin III: The Castle Of Cagliostro (1979) and the title character in Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984).
During the concert, she conveyed the passion of Fire Treasure, Lupin III's primary theme song. She also sang Nausicaa's theme song, capturing the innocence of a pacifist princess in a post-apocalyptic world.
2. Yoshikazu Mera
With a vocal range of 3 ½ octaves, the countertenor was chosen by Miyazaki to sing on Princess Mononoke. He felt Mera's voice had a special, ambiguous quality, which made it hard to determine if it belonged to a man or woman, child or adult, Japanese or foreigner.
With his ethereal pipes, the 54-year-old expressed the movie's serene beauty and dark mystery in his live rendition of the theme song during the show.
The classical singer – who was born with congenital osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease – said onstage that he hoped the concert will go some way to help people accept and look past their differences.
He added: 'Some are taller, some are shorter. We speak different languages and have different beliefs. But we all live on this earth. It's about time we acknowledge our differences and coexist together in harmony.'
3. Azumi Inoue
The wheelchair-using 60-year-old, who suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2023, performed the ending theme song of My Neighbor Totoro in her sweet and light voice, and got the audience waving their hands in the air along to the tune's iconic refrain 'To-to-ro Totoro'.
Inoue's 20-year-old daughter Yuyu is an up-and-comer with a pure, beautiful voice. She sang along with her mother on My Neighbor Totoro, and also performed duets with Shimamoto (The Rose from Only Yesterday) and Mera (The Name Of Life from Spirited Away).
The ingenue shared excitedly during her set that it was the pair's first time in Singapore, and they took many photos of the Merlion sculpture.
She gushed: 'Singapore has been among the top countries that we have wanted to visit, so we are so happy to be here.'
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