When the Stage and Audience Unite in Excitement: That's the Essence of Live Performance

—You're both captivated by the stage. What is its appeal?

Kiho Watanabe“Above all, it’s my interest in the people performing on stage. I love watching them give their all.”

Hiromi Yamamoto“Live performances are so powerful. In today's world filled with CG and other technologies, I'm reminded of the incredible power of human effort every time I see a live show. I love the space and time, the sense of hearing the performers' very breath, which is so different from film or television.”

Kiho“There are so many moments where things go perfectly, or not so perfectly, depending on the performance. I imagine they must be devastated if there's little applause after a song. Sometimes, I find myself empathizing with the performers.”

Hiromi“That’s exactly right! (laughs) A live performance is a unified experience between the audience and the stage. So, the audience can't just be passive. You have to watch in a way that lifts the actors.”

—So, when you go to a show, you go with the mindset of, 'I'm going to give it my all today too!'?

Hiromi“Absolutely!”

Kiho“Everyone’s energy is so high that being there makes you feel energized too.”

Hiromi“We get excited together. That’s the essence of a live performance. So, if you don’t intend to enjoy it, you can’t. It’s the same as not being able to become beautiful if you don’t intend to.”

Impressed by Takarazuka Stage Makeup, Realizing the Power of Makeup!

Hiromi“Despite being so captivated by Takarazuka now, I had no interest in it until a few years ago. In fact, I was rather averse to it.”
“When I saw 'The Rose of Versailles' as a middle schooler, and forgive me for saying this about the actors at the time, but they were so clearly not Japanese in appearance. My reason for rejection was that they didn't look like French people! Since I loved the original 'Rose of Versailles,' I couldn't accept it even more.”
“However, a few years ago, I happened to have an opportunity to see it for work. Then, the current actors had small heads and long limbs! First, I was drawn to the delicate beauty of the female roles. Then, I was completely captivated by 'Elisabeth' at the Takarazuka Grand Theater.”

“'Elisabeth' is originally a Viennese musical. It's a wonderfully crafted production based on the real Empress Elisabeth, but because it's a musical, there are songs from beginning to end. They were so well-composed that they stayed with me, looping in my head.”

Kiho“Speaking of which, one of our staff members who went with me the other day said, ‘I want to go sing karaoke right now.’”

Hiromi“Yes, the songs are so memorable that you can sing along. Truly wonderful music stays with you like that. In the end, I saw 'Elisabeth' about five times that year.”

Kiho“And even that wasn’t enough, was it? (laughs)”


Hiromi“Yes (laughs). So, I borrowed DVDs of 'Elisabeth' performed by other troupes in the past and watched them obsessively.”

Takarazuka DVDs, including 'Elisabeth' (Hiromi's personal collection)

“Then, one of the male top stars caught my eye. I had seen him on the cover of a Takarazuka magazine before and, forgive me, thought, 'Is this rather plain-looking person really a top star?'”
“But on stage, he was dazzlingly transformed, and I was amazed. He was playing an Italian character and truly embodying an Italian. It was like a handsome Italian man was standing there! He was so beautiful.”
“I've been working in makeup for a long time, and I've always focused on natural makeup. But natural makeup doesn't really create a dramatic change, does it? In that sense, I had a bit of a complex, or perhaps a period where I felt uncertain about what makeup truly was, and my work felt less impactful. It was then that I witnessed the stage makeup of Takarazuka.”

“Ah, makeup is an illusion. It creates such beauty through illusion. I was reminded of the power of makeup all over again. That’s when I started to become obsessed with Takarazuka.”

If You're Even Slightly Interested, It's Important to Just Try It

Kiho“'Elisabeth' is performed not only at Takarazuka but also by Toho in Tokyo. Since I've done nail work for the Toho production, I often take my salon staff to see it. Every time, they get so excited and start crying; it's always a big event.”

—Experiencing emotions, enjoying yourself, crying—these acts of release seem beneficial for beauty as well, don't they?

Hiromi“They are incredibly beneficial. They invigorate your metabolism.”
“Actually, in our daily lives, we might have emotions, or we might not. But on the Takarazuka stage, all of them are present. That's another part of its charm.”
“I truly believe that things people find wonderful have genuine merit. Therefore, if you're even slightly interested, it's important to just try it.”
“I live my life with that kind of spirit.”

Kiho“Being prejudiced against something without trying it is a waste. It narrows your perspective.”

Hiromi“Isn't it the same with how we interact with people? If you want to be friends with someone and greet them, you can build a good relationship. But if you approach them with distrust, a wall forms. Everything depends on your own attitude.”
“There are many things you can become passionate about, hidden all around you.”

Profile
Hiromi Yamamoto (Hair & Makeup Artist)

After graduating from the Shiseido Beauty School, she worked as a hair and makeup artist for a cosmetics company, involved in advertising, public relations, and product development. She became a freelancer in 1992.
With a theme of “beauty from a consumer’s perspective,” she presents simple and easy-to-understand beauty theories, primarily in beauty and women's magazines. She is active in a wide range of fields, including makeup artistry, writing columns, appearing in talk shows, and advising on cosmetic product development.