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The Phantom of Kabuki? | April 17, 2006 |
 Ichikawa Ebizo (28) is to take kabuki to Europe. The young "prince" of the traditional theater will put on the first ever performance of kabuki at the Opera Garnier theater in Paris next March. This summer, he will perform "Fujimusume" and "Kasane" at the Sadler's Wells theater in London (May 31 - June 11) and the City Theater in Amsterdam (June 15-18). The Paris shows follow the success of a performance there in 2004 to commemorate the former Ichikawa Shinnosuke's succession to become the 11th Ichikawa Ebizo. In that show at the Chaillot Theater he was joined by high school classmate Onoe Kikunosuke (28). Next year, he will perform for a week alongside his father, Ichikawa Danjuro (59), who has been recovering from a recurrence of leukemia. Ebizo will also make his big screen debut this year in "Deguchi no nai Umi", due for release in September. The Opera Garnier theater has been one of the world's most famous homes of opera and ballet since its construction in 1875, and was the inspiration for the famous Phantom of the Opera story.
• Yesterday, singer Mori Masako (47) appeared solo in front of fans for the first time in 20 years. Following her divorce from singer Mori Shinichi last year, the former top idol has decided to resurrect her career and will release a new single, "Barairo no Mirai" (Rose-colored Future) on June 7. She signed copies of her new book "Ashita he" (To Tomorrow) for 100 lucky fans at a bokstore in Ginza yesterday. So many people turned out to catch a glimpse of the star that she had staff put together a makeshift "stage" of two beer crates in front of the bookstore so she could speak to them. It's been an emotional time for Masako, especially with the death of her father last week, and she ended yesterday's event in tears again.
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