Year-End Luxury: Two Days of Christmas Dinner Shows
I treated myself to some year-end luxury.
I went to two consecutive nights of dinner shows by Takarazuka alumni held at the Tokyo Kaikan.
Each ticket was 40,000 yen.
Times two, that's a huge splurge. I even took taxis both ways—I just didn't care anymore.
I took on extra work for this, and although I was exhausted when I rushed there after work, I have no regrets.
First, the first night was the
Sakina Ayakaze DS.
Sakichan's Fersen and Wenshu from her active days were so wonderful.
I was happy that she wore a Takarazuka male-role style costume perfectly this time as well.
The guest, Ai-chan (Hikaru Aizuki), also had her usual incredible figure.
The second night was the
Mira Anju (Yan-san) DS.
Yan-san is my life mentor (or so I like to think).
The guests were Ai Kodama and Nachi Mineoka.
None of them look like they are in their mid-60s—their dancing, figures, and beautiful voices are amazing.
Their daily efforts... I want to learn from them. It's encouraging to see how I want to age.
Since the venue was the same Tokyo Kaikan, I was a little tired of having similar French cuisine two nights in a row, as I prefer Japanese food, but I shouldn't complain about such luxury; I gratefully finished it all.
They each sang and danced many songs, and it was a continuous stream of laughter, emotion, and tears.
Among them, I was especially happy to hear:
Amore Scusami
An oldie but goodie.
"Amore, scusami"
literally means "I'm sorry, my love,"
and the content is a song that quietly conveys love and regret to the other person after a breakup or misunderstanding, but...
Nachi Mineoka sang this on the grand staircase during the (three-pair) duet dance scene in the final show of Yan-san's top star debut performance, "Spartacus." Nachi Mineoka, who came as a guest this time, sang it again.
"Spartacus" was a stage performance from when I was 20 years old = 33 years ago.
Ah, youth.
How fast time flies.
I had completely forgotten this song for over 30 years, but hearing it after all this time, memories came flooding back, and I felt as if the brain cells of my memory had been ignited again.
Oh, how nostalgic. I loved this song...
At 20, I didn't even appreciate the lyrics, just thinking it was a nice song, but now I can truly understand that it is a deeply good song.
And another song Yan-san sang was Non, je ne regrette rien by Édith Piaf.
The Japanese title is "Mizu ni Nagashite" (Let it flow into the water), but I feel that's not very cool.
The French title, "Je ne regrette rien!" = "I have no regrets at all!" is more powerful and better.
(↑Marion Cotillard in the Édith Piaf movie↑)
Édith Piaf was around 44 when she sang this song.
Édith Piaf, who was like a department store of hardship and tragedy, must have aged quickly...
I wouldn't want to experience the hardships Édith Piaf did if I could help it, but I want to be a strong person who can powerfully say, "Je ne regrette rien!" = "I have no regrets at all!" about what I do and what I have done.
Yan-san's "Non, je ne regrette rien," sung in French, was incredibly cool.
I was exhausted, but it was the best two days.
I treated myself.
Time to get back to work.