English Title: Falling Cherry Blossoms / Rhapsody in Love
Japanese Title: 花吹雪 / 愛のラプソディ
Romanized Title: Hanafubuki / Ai no Rhapsody

Troupe: Snow
Year: 1973
Performances: Tokyo Theater, 4/3 - 4/27

Falling Cherry Blossoms:
Author: Shibata Yukihiro
Director: Shibata Yukihiro
Composer: Terada Takio, Sasada Yoshihiko
Choreographer: Nishikawa Richou
Stage Setting: Kuroda Toshikuni
Lighting: Imai Naoji
Props: Katsumura Shiro
Producer: Noda Hamanosuke

Rhapsody in Love:
Author: Takagi Shirou
Director: Takagi Shirou, Kawai Hideyuki
Composer: Nakamoto Kiyozumi
Choreographer: Kita Hiroshi, Yamada Takashi, Kanda Akiko
Stage Settings: Ishihama Hideo
Costumer: Toda Ikue
Lighting: Imai Naoji
Props: Ueda Tokuichi
Producer: Noda Hamanosuke

Role	Cast A	Cast B (April 9 - 15)
Koshiro Kano	Migiwa Natsuko	Jun Mitsuki
Shino/O-ko	Maya Akemi	Tamazusa Maki
Kumehachi	Ooji Michio	Kishi Kaori
Riku	Mitaka Keiko
Honami Koetsu	Soga Keiko
Kame-no-tsubone	Takamiya Sachi
Kazenosuke	Jun Mitsuki	Shou Sumire
Shuzen Sakai	Kishi Kaori	Asami Rei
Hana	Uraji Natsuko	Chibana Sachiyo
Otohiko	Shou Sumire	Masaki Keiko
Maki	Hitomoto Miki	Mizuho Mari
Aya	Tamazusa Maki	Shizu Misaki
Souroku	Kamijou Akira
Koushou	Juri Misa
Village Men	Aoba Mitsuru, Asaki Kozue, Mine Saori, Natsu Teruko
Village Women	Momo Chikage, Chibana Sachiyo, Katori Aki, Katsura Miki
Kyoto Men	Asami Rei (solo), Asaki Kozue, Akira Miyabi
Kyoto Women	Momo Chikage, Hitomoto Miki
Lady's Maid	Katsura Miki
Lady Kabuki Singers	Shouji Michiru (solo), Juri Misa
Kabuki Lady	Aoba Mitsuru
Boy	Seto Chihiro
Girl	Juri Misa
Shadow Chorus	Mine Saori, Momo Chikage

Other Cast (A): Katase Chiho, Sei Renka, Mario Sachi, Hide Natsuki, Ako Chinami, Kou Hizuru, Asaji Mariko, Matsukata Rika, Kunizuki Miki, Waka Chitose, Kana Kasumi, Aizono Yuka, Sumikawa Akemi, Chihiro Sakae, Koko Marimo, Takaho Rina, Takashio Tomoe, Kotobuki Hizuru, Yuuzuru Mai, China Yumino, Tama Kazumi, Watari Chihiro, Houjou Hiroki





In the disastrous Battle of Sekigahara fought between Mitsunari Ishida and Iyeyasu Tokugawa, Koshiro Kano was on the losing side. He had the misfortune of his parents, brothers and even his fiancee killed on the battlefield. He was the only one who could survive the battle, but as he was the only one who could survive the battle, but as he became deeply awakened to the uncertainty of human life.

So, he thought of becoming a Buddist priest and was on his way to Mt. Minobusan, the head - quarters of the Buddhist religeous sect, where his uncle was a priest, in his hope that the priest-uncle might help him in eventually taking up priesthood.

Before he could reach the distant mountain, however, he was so exhausted physically that he fell down helplessly. When he came to his consciences, he found that he was in a remote desolate hamlet called Shino. Out of the helpless plight, he was rescued by Kumehachi, a local Shoya (village headman)

Full one year rolled along like a dream. Under the guidance of ceramist Kumehachio and Shino, his daughter, Koshiro began to receive the training to grow in a full ceramist.

New, Shino was an exceedingly beautiful girl who had her own technique of producing Beni-Shino, a unique ceramic ware in crimson color.

Koshiro was then so absorbed in the ceramic art that he could often keep the dark days he had gone through out of his mind.

As days passed by in this way, a tender feeling of amorous attachment began to be engendered between Koshiro and Shino. Kumehachi, knowing how two young people felt toward each other, though of letting the two young get married.

Time elapsed in utter happiness, for the two, were scheduled to be wed in several days, when an unforeseen misfortune befell then. Shino was assaulted by a group of roaming Samurai who had survived the Battle of Sekigahara, and killed mercilessly.

Instantly, Koshiro was thrown back into a world of darkness over again. Kumehachi advised him to up to Kyoto, where lived and old acguaintance of Kumehachi, also a ceramist name Denbei Sakuma who kept in a place of work at Kiyomizu, a sector of the capital, Kyoto. So, it was decided that Koshiro would go to the work-place of Sakumaya Denbei for receiving the training.

On one of these days, Koshiro happened to encounter O-ko, the daughter of Koetsu Hon-ami, one of the contemporary forerunners of the tea ceremony.

O-ko happened to be a girl of the incomparable beauty and resembled the late Shino so closely that she would give the impression that the deceased girl had come back to life.

O-ko asked Koshiro to make a piece of Beni-Shino for her. The ware thus produced was found to be of such a perfection that people would suspect that the soul of the deceased girl might have haunted on the ware.

O-ko's life, however, began to be darkened be a fate of misfortune. She had a finace in the person of Kazenosuke. They ought to have been married in the due course of time, but for the illicit love shown toward the girl by the then Shoshidai (civil administrator), who made it known that he wanted to take her in as one of his concubines.

O-ko's happiness was about to be perished under the pressure of the power. Koshiro had to get in a deep meditation. Koshiro had to recall how his first fiancee was killed on the battlefield of Sekigahara and how Shino, his second lover, was killed at the hands of brigands. And now, his third sweetheart was about to be mercilessly snatched away by the power of the authorities.

A series of misfortunes befalling him did not fail to awaken Koshiro to the uncertainty of human life over again.

Koshiro thought of O-ko and Shino over and over again, and made up his mind to bestir himself, so that O-ko's bliss be kept intact.........

---

A parade of young men with tambourines and saxophones dance to the tune of a song of love.

Singers: Maho Shibuki, Migiwa Natsuko, Takamiya Sachi
Trio: Asami Rei, Mario Sachi, Houjou Hiroki
Youth: Uraji Natsuko, Jun Mitsuki


A sweet dream tale of lovers.

Singer of Poems: Kunizuki Miki
Young men: Uraji Natsuko, Jun Mitsuki, Shou Sumire, Kamijou Akira, Asami Rei, Mario Sachi, Houjou Hiroki


A man auctions memories of love.

Love merchant: Maho Shibuki


A song about the ebb and flow of life is sung to a tune played on the accordion.

Women in decoration: Konohana Sakuya, Mitaka Yuuko
Singer: Migiwa Natsuko
Girls: Sakura Keiko, Tamazusa Maki


Piano keys start dancing merrily.

Singer: Takamiya Sachi
Quartet: Asaki Kozue, Uraji Natsuko, Mari Tatsumi, Jun Mitsuki


To the sweet tune of a violin, the lovers dance a song of love.

Singer: Migiwa Natsuko
Violin Spirit: Mitaka Yuuko
Girl of Violin: Maya Akemi
Duet: Shizu Misaki, Shou Sumire
Mannequin: Konohana Sakuya


Words of love are sung by way of flowers and a parade of flowers is shown.


A man dreams of Food and sings that "Love" is a like a champagne.

Youth: Jun Mitsuki
Singer: Maho Shibuki
Girls of Champagne: Mitaka Yuuko, Maya Akemi
Men of Wine: Asaki Kozue, Uraji Natsuko, Jun Mitsuki, Shou Sumire


A boy sings of his lost love. Memories of the sea are played by a guitar and a harmonica.

Singers: Katase Chiho, Natsu Teruko, Tama Kazumi, Ban Akira, Asami Rei, Houjou Hiroki, Kinugasa Akira


Duet: Migiwa Natsuko, Maya Akemi
Singer of Love: Takamiya Sachi


A man sings "Love".

Singer: Maho Shibuki


All stage a parade while singing "Let's live in and for love!"

Super Star: Maho Shibuki

• An English audio translation was available for rent.

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