Lady Aoi

Noh piece. Fourth piece. Current piece of the five schools. It is also mentioned in Zeami's book "Sarugaku Dangi," and is a piece that Zeami reworked from an old Omi Sarugaku-style piece. It is based on the "Aoi" chapter of "The Tale of Genji." This masterpiece shows the horror of jealousy lurking deep in the psyche of a noble woman through its superb lyrics, composition, and splendid direction. Lady Aoi (Hikaru Genji's wife), who is suffering from a demon, is expressed by a single short-sleeved kimono that is stretched out in front of the stage. A vassal summons a shrine maiden (tsure) and commands her to perform a spell to reveal the true identity of the person haunting her. The living spirit of Lady Rokujo (mae shite) appears. Yesterday's flower laments her separation from the glamorous life of the former Crown Princess, which has become today's dream, and the fading love of Hikaru Genji. In her excitement, she beats Aoi-no-ue, and then tries to take her away in the same tattered cart that Aoi-no-ue humiliated her in at the Kamo Festival. As her condition suddenly worsens, Yokawanokohijiri (waki) is summoned and begins to pray, when a living spirit (Go-shite) in the form of a demon appears, and struggles with the power of the law, trying to capture and kill Aoi-no-ue, but finally succumbs, abandoning his resentment and ending the play. "Lady Aoi" is one of the most frequently performed Noh plays, including overseas, and has had a great influence on later generations of Japanese music, including Yamada-ryu koto music, dance, and drama. It was also the subject of Yukio Mishima's "Modern Noh Plays."

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の曲目。四番目物。五流現行曲。世阿弥(ぜあみ)の伝書『申楽談儀(さるがくだんぎ)』にも記載があり、近江(おうみ)猿楽系の古作を世阿弥が改作した曲。出典は『源氏物語』の「葵」の巻。高貴な女性の心理の深層に潜む嫉妬(しっと)の恐ろしさを、みごとな詞章、作曲と、華麗な演出の妙で見せる名作。物の怪(もののけ)に苦しむ葵上（光源氏の正妻）は、舞台先に延べた1枚の小袖(こそで)で表現する。臣下の者が巫女(みこ)（ツレ）を呼び出して、たたっている者の正体を現す呪法(じゅほう)を命じる。六条御息所(ろくじょうのみやすどころ)の生霊(いきりょう)（前シテ）が登場。昨日の花は今日の夢となった元皇太子妃の華やかな生活との別離、光源氏の愛の衰えを嘆き、興奮に身をゆだねて葵上を打ち据え、賀茂の祭で葵上から屈辱を受けたその破れ車に乗せて連れ去ろうとする。病状の急変に横川小聖(よかわのこひじり)（ワキ）が招かれ、祈り始めると、鬼形(きぎょう)となった生霊（後シテ）が現れ、法力と争い、葵上を取り殺そうとするが、ついに屈服し、恨みの心を捨てて終わる。『葵上』は海外公演も含め上演頻度最高の能で、山田流箏曲(そうきょく)など邦楽や舞踊、戯曲など後世への影響が大きい。三島由紀夫の『近代能楽集』の題材ともなった。

［増田正造］

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