Happy Halloween, everyone! To mark the occasion, I thought I’d share something I’ve been working on. You may be aware that years ago, I made a page where I translated the Japanese lyrics for POTO. (Link is below.) I’ve been meaning to update it with some corrections and fixes, and may move it to Tumblr because of some issues I’ve had with Weebly since making the page.
Greetings, visitors, and welcome to my humble translation page! Here, I will be posting my translations for the Japanese lyrics of musicals
But recently, I learned that in the time since the show reopened in Japan after the pandemic, those in charge have made some changes to the lyrics and other aspects of the show to bring Japan’s production more in line with those in London and the US. I got an audio bootleg from Masked Lion and spent some time over the last couple of weeks listening to it and noting the changes I could identify.
Recording from January 17, 2021; Tokyo, Japan
Cast: Yuta Iwaki, Sae Yamamoto, Susumu Kato, Aya Kawamura, Koichi Taira, Morito Masuda, Kimura Chiaki, Atsuto Yamada, Mariko Gosho
(info from Glass Prism)
My notes (far too many for your taste?)
- Auctioneer sounds more dramatic than in other performances
- Added a “Saa!” (“Now!” or “Here!”) at the end of the Prologue
- Overture is using the new track
- Reyer still insists on “Romu” (which doesn’t mean anything) over “Roma” (which is correct)
- Counterpoint in the “Hannibal” chorus when they start singing again after the ballet/instrumental seems to be missing
- Key change in ToM is now D-F like in all other productions; Japan had kept it as D-Eb (like the OLC album and early West End performances) for their whole run before Covid
- Christine seems more staccato on some notes in ToM
- Phantom still says “Bravi”/“Bravissimi” before AoM
- Phantom is more mocking on “brave young suitor” than usual — Ethan/Brad influence?
- Chorus added to title song — lyrics are “A world hidden in darkness… That is the Phantom of the Opera”
- IHBY - Watashi ga (instead of wa)? Grammatically iffy; probably a flub
- Extra timpani on “long to be” — live orchestra?
- Orchestra mostly at the usual (somewhat fast) tempo for Japanese MOTN, but slower in last instrumental break?
- Music box kept slow, unlike London/Bway/restaged
- Phantom a bit ahead of the beat in “Damn you” section of STYDI
- Magical Lasso — lines rearranged (description of Phantom first, then avoiding being caught)
- Changed line for “In which case I think our meeting is adjourned,” and possibly for Firmin’s spoken part reading Phantom’s note
- Slower tempo for first verse of “Prima Donna”
- Slower tempo for first part of “Poor Fool…” and in the ballet
- Rather Earl-like laugh after Buquet’s hanging
- Restaged orchestrations for “But his voice filled my spirit…”
- Sound effects make it seem like they did something like the restaged or new London version for the chandelier drop?
- Gets rather slow in the instrumental break for Masquerade
- Need to go over “Madame Giry’s Tale” in older boots to see if anything was changed
- Chaotic bit in Notes 2 doesn’t get as fast… I liked that it did in the older versions
- “Twisted Every Way” is slower, which I *am* glad for
- Christine says “I can’t do it,” orchestra transition is like the restaged version
- “Hide your sword now, wounded knight” bit in DJT Rehearsal may be changed?
- POTO reprise before graveyard changed to original title song lyrics
- WYWSHA second verse changed, somewhat flipped the lines
- Second “help me say goodbye” added
- “Wandering Child” now a trio; Raoul’s lines added
- Intro and many sections of “Don Juan” performance sound quite slow
- Some laughter added for Piangi and Passarino
- PONR slower, more like other productions’ tempos
- Kokoro *mo* kimeta wa? (“My heart has *also* decided”)
- Good tentative emotion from Phantom in AIAOY reprise after PONR
- Phantom yells “Naze? Naze da?” (“Why? Why?”) instead of singing “Naze kou na no da?” (“Why does it have to be this way?”)
- “Track Down This Murderer” after Raoul’s dive starts quite slow, gets faster
- Octave jump in “it’s in your soul…” brought back
- Phantom’s reply to Raoul in
- now “Nasake nado shiranai (“I don’t know compassion” instead of “I don’t have compassion”)
- Sou, mohaya modorenai
- “Make your choice” shouted rather than sung
- Slow drumbeat
- “Go now…” shouted rather than sung
- Mistake from the brass in MOTN section of playout
Cheers!
- Toru771
Fascinating to see the changes!
