Tamaki Miura

Japanese: 三浦環 - みうら・たまき

Year of death: May 26, 1946
Year of birth: 1884.2.22
Opera singer (soprano) from the Meiji period to the prewar Showa period. She is known internationally for her performance in the opera Madame Butterfly. Born in Tokyo, her father was Japan's first notary, Shibata Motoho. While studying at the Tokyo Music School (Tokyo University of the Arts), she was active in operas such as Orpheus in 1903. After graduating, she became a teacher at the same school, but in order to pursue a career as a musician, she divorced army doctor Fujii Zenichi, whom she had married before enrolling, in 1905, which caused quite a stir. When the Imperial Theater was established in 1901, she became an exclusive performer, and after starring in three original operas, she left the theater and married doctor Miura Masataro. In 1914, the couple traveled to Europe, where they were recognized by conductor Wood in London, and their solo performances and the lead role in Madame Butterfly the following year were a great success for their "freshness" compared to Western-style performances. She went to the United States and sang "Cho-Cho-San" first in Chicago and then throughout the US and Europe, where she had a great career. She also starred in the American premieres of "Iris" and "Madame Okiku". After Masataro returned to Japan in 1920, she remained overseas, and when Tamaki returned to Japan temporarily in 1922, her relationship with her accompanist became a hot topic. Masataro passed away in 1929. By 1922, she had performed "Madame Butterfly" 2,000 times (probably including performances of just the aria) and returned to Japan. After that, in addition to "Madame Butterfly" performances in 1921 and 1922, she was active in concerts, broadcasts, records, etc., as well as performing several operas with her students. She made her last broadcast recording on April 15, 1946, and died 40 days later from an abdominal tumor (probably cancer). Despite her outstanding talent, insight, and achievements in the Japanese music world at the time, her naturally frank and unpretentious nature led to misunderstandings, and her later years in Japan were relatively unfortunate. In addition to "Ochou-fujin" edited by Akimitsu Yoshimoto, he has written two books and many SP recordings.

(Keiji Masui)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：昭和21.5.26(1946)
生年：明治17.2.22(1884)
明治から昭和戦前のオペラ歌手(ソプラノ)。歌劇「蝶々夫人」の国際的歌手として著名。東京生まれで,父は日本初の公証人柴田孟甫。東京音楽学校(東京芸大)在学中から,明治36(1903)年の歌劇「オルフェウス」ほかに活躍。卒業後は同校で教職に就くが,音楽家生活のため,入学前に結婚した軍医藤井善一と40年に離婚し話題となる。44年帝国劇場設立で専属となり,三つの創作歌劇などに主演後,帝劇を離れて医師三浦政太郎と結婚。大正3(1914)年夫妻で渡欧し,ロンドンで指揮者ウッドに認められ,独唱会と翌年の「蝶々夫人」主演で,西欧的演奏に比し「新鮮さ」で大成功。渡米してシカゴを最初にアメリカ大陸とのちに欧米の各地で蝶々さんを歌い大活躍し,「イリス」と「お菊夫人」アメリカ初演にも主演した。大正9年政太郎の帰国後も海外にとどまり,同11年の環の一時帰国で伴奏者との関係が話題を醸す。昭和4(1929)年政太郎死去。7年までに2000回(おそらくアリアだけの演奏も含む)の「蝶々夫人」を終えて帰国。その後は11,12年の「蝶々夫人」公演のほか,門下生とのオペラ数回と,演奏会,放送,レコードなどに活躍。21年4月15日に最後の放送録音をして,40日後に腹部腫瘍(おそらく癌)で死去した。当時の日本の音楽界で図抜けた才能・識見・業績にもかかわらず,生来の率直で飾らぬ性行が誤解を生み,国内での晩年は比較的に不遇だった。吉本明光編『お蝶夫人』のほかに著書2冊とSP録音のレコード多数がある。

(増井敬二)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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