Figures of Modern Stage #8 – Onoe Baiko VII in the role of Fujitsubo

Series
Figures of Modern Stage

Series Number
8

Title in English
Figures of Modern Stage #8 – Onoe Baiko VII in the role of Fujitsubo

Title in Japanese

現代舞台藝蕐(8) 藤壺 七代目尾上梅幸
Gendai Butai Geika 8 – Fujitsubo Onoe Baiko VII

Title in French
Portraits de la scène moderne No.8 – Onoe Baiko VII dans le role of Fujitsubo

The play
The tale of Genji (Genji monogatari), Murasaki Shikibu’s masterpiece was written at the end of 10th century and dramatized in the 1950s by Funahashi Seiichi with supervision by Tanizaki Junichiro. This long novel in 54 chapters tells of the life of Prince Genji and his love affairs at the imperial court during the Heian era (795-1185). The character Fujitsubo appears in the first chapters of the novel., described below.

The story
The story begins during the reign of Emperor Kiritsubo. Among the Emperor’s numerous concubines there is a minor court lady called Kiritsubo-no-Koi (Lady of the Paulownias) . Though she was not from such a high-status family, she was in the Emperor’s great favor and gave birth to the Emperor’s second son, a beautiful baby, who was nicknamed Hikari-no-Kimi (Shining Prince). As she came from a modest family, Kiritsubo-no-koi had no support at the court and she became a target for the resentment and envy of other concubines. Most vehement of all was Kokiden no Taigo (Lady Kokiden consort), daughter of the Minister of the Right and mother of Emperor Kiritsubo’s first son, Crown Prince Suzaku. The persecution against Kiritsubo-no-Koi was so furious that she was overcome with anxiety and finally passed away when Hikari-no-Kimi was only three years old.
To protect his son, the emperor considered it better for Hikari-no-Kimi to be discharged from Imperial family membership, the Emperor lowered his status and Hikari-no-Kimi was given the family name Genji. When Genji was ten years old Kiritsubo orders Fujitsubo (Lady of the Wisteria) to join the Imperial Court as one of his mistresses. She is a former Emperor’s fourth daughter and bears a strong resemblance to the late Kiritsubo-no-Koi whom Emperor Kiritsubo cannot get out of his thoughts.