translation! an article about RomiJuri in Japan

original article - by some 'veteran journalist' of Sankei News ^.^

For some reason, there is a 'Romeo and Juliet' boom. Following the Takarazuka version, the original French version is to be performed in Japan for the first time.
On June 22nd the Moon Troupe 'Romeo and Juliet' is to begin in Takarazuka Grand Theatre. The Takarazuka version of the world-wide hit created in France was first performed in Japan in 2010 by Star Troupe. Then it was performed last year by Snow Troupe, and will be revived by Moon Troupe this time. Apart from Takarazuka, I also read about the original Japanese version with mixed cast. Finally, the original French version is to be performed in Tokyo and Osaka this autumn, for the first time in Japan. In light of this, the composer and lyricist Gerard Presgurvic and the main cast came to Japan. With the Moon Troupe Top Combi, Ryuu Masaki and Manaki Reika, also participating, a PR event was held.
The famous work about tragic love that shines even nowadays
a paragraph with trivia omitted
In Japan the performances also follow one another
Two years ago the version directed by Koike Shuuichirou was a big hit, and the original French version is to be performed in Japan for the first time. Together with Presgurvic himself, four cast members also came to Japan to participate in a PR event titled 'Romeo and Juliet ~ children of Verona' - Niccolai Cyril who plays Romeo, Esther Joy who plays Juliet, Neville Stephan who plays Benvolio and Eyzen John who plays Mercutio. As special guests, Shirota Yuu from the original Japanese cast attended the event in Tokyo, and the Top Combi of Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe consisting of Ryuu and Manaki - in Osaka.
In his address Presgurvic said - 'The reason why this musical became a big hit is that the story itself is simple and brilliant. Taking it as a basis I created a performance to make the audience think to themselves whether they could die for the sake of love. I would be happy if the French version would be loved the same as the Japanese one.' As far as I know, he visits Japan for the fourth time and during his previous visit in March last year he faced the great earthquake catastrophe. 'It was my first experience of that kind, and I was very frightened, but at the sane time I could feel keenly that the Japanese are very diligent and hard-working people. I pray for them.'
Nicolai was playing Benvolio during the Asia tour, and playing Romeo in Japan will be the first time for him. 'I am looking forward to seeing what kind of Romeo I will become. In this performance singing is crucial, and I am able to play my character with proper, perfect singing' - he shows his confidence. Esther was selected to play Juliet during the Asia tour and she has played Juliet in Paris 40 times. She expressed her happiness - 'It was Niccolai who told me about the audition for this performance. That's why I am very glad to form a combi with him.' Eyzen also has a rich experience of playing Mercutio - 'I enjoy playing madness', but Neville will play Benvolio in Japan for the first time - 'I think he is a person who lives his life to the fullest', after saying some greetings with a smattering of Japanese they shared their impressions.
Ryuu, who saw the powerful performance of the French cast, said  - 'I was deeply moved. Now I want to play Romeo cherishing his dreamer part, but integrating into it an element of his energetic rushing guided by his instinct.' Manaki vowed vigorously - 'When I heard everyone's singing I felt the emotions conveyed with the music. I will do my best, too.'
For some reason, there is a 'Romeo and Juliet' boom now in Japan. The straight play with Satou Ken and Ishihara Satomi has just finished in Tokyo and Osaka. The Takarazuka Moon Troupe performance will last till the 23rd of July in Takarazuka Grand Theatre and then will take place in Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre from the 10th of August till the 9th of September. The French version will be shown in Tokyo in TOKYU THEATRE Orb from the 10th till the 21st of October and then in Osaka in Umeda Arts Theatre Main Hall from the 26th of October till the 4th of November. The boom still seems to be burning for quite a while.

translation! ~ RomiJuri first performance

things to be aware of

• spoilers in the article! if there are people who have never read the book, or watched any movie or musical based on it, this article will ruin everything for you. I actually doubt there are such people, though
• information! or, better to say, lack of it. most info is either already provided in other articles (including those I translated), or presents common knowledge, though there are a few words about the show
• pictures. unfortunately, not many of them this time. I will search for more for sure, but that will be later

the original article

The curtain has raised for the first musical of the New Moon Troupe of Takarazuka Revue - 'Romeo and Juliette'

On the 22nd of June, the curtain has raised for the first musical of the New Moon Troupe of Takarazuka Revue - 'Romeo and Juliette'. This performance marks the new system of Moon Troupe - Ryuu Masaki as Top Star, Manaki Reika as Top Female Role Player and Asumi Rio as Demi-Top Star.

The musical is based on the original work of Shakespeare - a famous love story, and it involves music with a rock taste, modern clothes and installation, the music, lyrics and direction having been created in France by Gerard Presgurvic. The musical, which was first performed in France in 2001, was then performed in almost every country of the world and gained an audience of more than 5 000 000 people. In Japan it was prettified and directed by hit-maker Koike Shuuichirou in Takarazuka, and first performed by selected members of Star Troupe. The next year, 2011, the Grand Theatre version was performed by Snow Troupe, and the Moon Troupe version will become the third one.

This time one of the points about the performance is that Romeo, the leading role, and Tybald, the villain role, will be switching roles for Ryuu and Asumi. On the opening day Ryuu is playing Romeo, while Asumi is Tybald. The new potential is shown by two Superior Members - Ema Naoki and Miho Keiko - and Miya Rurika who has just transferred from Star Troupe.

The peculiarity of the Takarazuka version is that in addition to the symbol of the musical - 'Dancer of Death' (Tamaki Ryou) - a role of 'Dancer of Love' was established (Akizuki Saya). These two proclaim the beginning of a story of love and death.

The story tells us about two noble families in Verona, Italy - Montague and Capulet. They have been nurturing hatred towards each other for centuries, so that even the youth is involved. Meanwhile, the heir of the Montague family, Romeo (Ryuu), and the daughter of the Capulet family, Juliette (Manaki), meet at a masquerade and fall in love at first sight. The two, whose first love develops swiftly, open their hearts to Father Florence (Ema), and with the help of Juliette's nurse (Miho) hold a secret marriage ceremony. 

Juliette's elder cousin, Tybald (Asumi), has been attracted to Juliette for a long time, but Lord Capulet (Koshino Ryuu) is going to accept the marriage proposal of the richest person in Verona - Count Paris (Shimon Yuriya). At the same time, the rumours about the marriage ceremony of Romeo and Juliette start to spread, and Tybald encounters Romeo's best friends, Mercutio (Miya) and Benvolio (Seijou Kaito), and others in the city, this leading to an explosive situation. Romeo interferes to stop them, but Mercutio is stabbed by Tybald, and Romeo kills Tybald in a frenzy. 

Romeo is banished forever from Verona, and after spending a night with Juliette, he leaves for Mantua when the dawn breaks. Juliette, who is coerced to marry Count Paris, prays Father Florence to help her, and obtains a medicine that would make her sleep so that she would look as if dead. It was planned that she would escape from the city with Romeo when she wakes up, but the plan fails. Romeo, who hears of Juliette's death, meets with her in the burial chamber, and drinks the poison, and when Juliette wakes up, she sees Romeo lying dead, and stabs herself in the chest. The two, who reached their love at the cost of their lives, thus made the two families come to a reconciliation, and together with the Dancers of Death and Love they swear an eternal love in Heaven...

The finale is created with audaciously arranged numbers, such as the theme songs 'Kings of the World' and 'Aimer'. After rockette dance in tutus designed with a heart on the breast, in the male role players dance the dandy figure of Ryuu on the Grand Staircase appears together with a lady, proceeding to the debut Top Combi dance, and then to Parade, where Ryuu descends the Grand Staircase wearing huge feathers which mark the Top Star.

The performance will continue till July, 23rd, in Takarazuka Grand Theatre, and take place in Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre from August, 8th, to September, 9th.

_____
remarks

1. anybody can tell me where are Chapi's legs on the second photo (obviously Top Combi dance)? 
2. anybody can tell Zuka to be less greedy? I can't! such small photos... >____<
3. anybody can tell me what for the plot and trivial facts are put in the article? moreover, I noticed this too late. and after I have translated everything (which took me quite a while) I can only ask myself... WHAT FOR? 90% of the info absolutely irrelevant. this is why I put a warning on the top of the post
4. anybody can tell me if 'tis wrong to name Juliet - 'Juliette'? I cannot help writing like this... I mean, in French she IS 'Juliette', and in Russian she is 'Julyetta' - even writing Capulet cost me a lot of efforts (instead of 'Capuletti'), but while I coped with the family name, writing 'Juliet' is kind of impossible for me...
5. finally, my impression. at least, the Moon's version of RomiJuri is slightly different from the previous ones, and I am a bit relieved. this is not a 100% copy of Snow and Star, and that's good

Translation. an article about Moon RomiJuri 2012 ~ Yes, again!

the original article

On April 26th there was held a presentation of the upcoming performance 'Romeo and Juliette' which is to start in June in the Grand Theatre. It will become the first performance for Ryuu Masaki as the new Top Star after she succeeded Kiriya Hiromu, who graduated last week. Others who participated in the presentation are the new Top Female Role Player Manaki Reika and Demi Top Star Asumi Rio, and director Koike Shuuichirou.
The work chosen as the first performance is a musical based on the classic masterpiece of Shakespeare, which was first staged in 2001 in France, and became a big hit which can boast an audience of 5 million people all over the world. In Japan, the musical was first performed by Takarazuka Snow Troupe in 2010 and repeated by Star Troupe last year, and beyond Takarazuka there exist versions with Shirota Yuu and Yamazaki Ikusaburou. Koike Shuuichirou, who takes care of the performance, said - 'Right in the middle of the Snow Troupe performance there happened the earthquake catastrophe. The second part of the performance was cancelled, and when it was revived several days after, though some customers could not come because of transport circumstances, there still were a lot of customers who came. I was thinking then if it was right to perform a masterpiece about that romantic sweet love in such time, but there were people who said that quite opposite, exactly because of watching that performance they were able to face the next day, therefore I myself recognized the strength of Takarazuka, and once more recognized the value of existence. I think, it would be good if this performance could bring peace to the hearts of many people and power which would let them feel that what is called love.'
Another topic was the switching of roles of Romeo and Tybalt played by Ryuu and Asumi, who oppose each other tearing Juliette between them. Switching the main role in the first performance of a new Top is an uncommon form, but concerning this fact, director Kobayashi explained his objective - 'After Ryuu became the Top of Moon Troupe, it has become a very young troupe. And in a fresh troupe a lot of possibilities come out. Both Asumi and Manaki, and Ryuu herself, they are growing children, and I thought of polishing the skills of the whole Moon Troupe, so making the leading part a switching role seemed a good measure to me.'
Ryuu Masaki who is to become the new Top Star with this performance made her debut in 2001. On the twelfth year of her Takarazuka activity she took up the position of Top, thus becoming the youngest Top in the five troupes. Her greeting was very clear - 'United with the members of Moon Troupe I want to create an enjoyable performance, so I would like to ask you for your support.' Considering the switching roles she expressed her enthusiasm - 'As a stage performer I am blessed to be able to experience different things. I want to sincerely face it and put all my might into acting.' Manaki and Asumi also shared their respective views  - 'I am full of happiness because I have been granted with the role of Julette in such a masterpiece as 'Romeo and Juliette,' 'I was a fan of the 'Romeo and Juliette' story, so I can realize that I am a happy person to be connected with it by playing two roles in the performance. I will do my best reserving both my stamina and guts.'