“I have a dream. I want to make this country warless and peaceful,” the prince declares to his wife during an opera set in sixth century Japan.
In an age of global insecurity and mounting concerns, the opera “Shotoku Taishi” (“Prince Shotoku”) was performed at the New National Theatre in Tokyo on Sept. 16 and 18, leaving the two-day audience of about 3,400 with a strong message containing a timeless wish for peace.
Shotoku, also known as Prince Umayado, was a legendary regent of the Asuka Period (552-645) who contributed to establishing the nation’s social system and spreading Buddhism in Japan. The opera dramatized an important part of his life when he decided to dedicate himself to the creation of an ideal nation.