ESUGATA NYOBO -Portrait of a wife-, TAIKO

Premier in1991 ESUGATA NYOBO (original Title : Haru-no Taiko)
　Scenario／Yoshiki Mukai
　Representation／Miyoko Higaki
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Gerge Frideric Handel, Leonard Eto
　Costume／Miyoko Higaki

Premier in 2006 TAIKO
　Scenario／Yoshiki Mukai
　Representation,Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Second Choreograph／Takuya Higaki
　Higaki Ballet Company Public Performance in Europe
　(Performing Arts Promotional Project)

Revision in 2008 ESUGATA NYOBO
　Scinario／Yoshikazu Funasaka
　Representation,Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music Supervisor／Yasuhiko Komuro
　(Important Support Project for Arts Creative Activities by Cultural Affairs Agency)

Revision in 2009 TAIKO
　Higaki Ballet Company Public Performance in Germany
　(Support Project for International Artistic Interchanges
　by Cultural Affairs Agency)

Esugata Nyobo（Portrait of a Wife） is a Japanese folktale that has been influenced by foreign folklore. The international flavor is so uncommon in Japanese folktales that Kunio Yanagida claimed that it originated in China.
A feudal lord accidentally obtained a painting of a beautiful wife in the village. The wife was kidnapped for her beauty. She retained her virtue and became known as the woman without a smile.To save her, her husband came to the castle dressed as a vender. He successfully retrieved his wife, taking advantage of dimwittedness of the feudal lord.

In the first scene, the feudal lord sends a band of kidnappers to the village to find a beautiful woman. They suddenly rush into in a circle of village people who were enjoying dancing in the village square in an autumn festival. The dancing villagers mainly consist of young married couples.
In the second scene, the kidnapped wife is confined in the castle , in sadness. She never smiles despite the vain the efforts of the lord to coax her. In the third scene, her husband tries to save his wife. A crowd of village people gather for a spring festival. Playing flutes and drums, they help the husband. Wife finally smiles when she sees her husband playing a drum. In the final two scenes, the lord, finding that she is smiling, stupidly forces her husband to exchange his clothing, believing he would be able to make her smile if he were dressed like the young husband. However, the feudal lord is repelled in the vendor's clothes and finishes up alone.

YUGAO from UTAKATANO ～based on The Tale of Genji～

YUGAO Premiere in 2004
　Representation／Shigehiko Maehara
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Jien Nakamura
　Costume／Miyoko Higaki
　2004 Creative Space 2004 sponsored by Kyoto Prefecture
　2005 Public Performance in Germany (Berlin Asia Pacific Week2005)
　(2005 Performing Arts Promotional Project)

UTAKATANO Premiere in 2002
　Representation／Kazuhiko Maehara
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Jien Nakamura
　(Performing Arts Promotional Project)

Secret Love with Hikaru Genji and Yugao in the full moon night.
Hikaru Genji visits Yugao without telling who and what hi is.
Yugao doesn't also reveal who she is. It's a very mysterious but vety short love.Yugao was dead because of a spirit.

Utakatano is one of the full length ballet based on The Tale of Genji, the oldest novel of the world, created by Miyoko Higaki in 2002・・・
The Tale of Genji was written in the Heian era, about 1000AD consisted of 54 volumes.
"Yugao"is one of them.

KIYOHIME

Premiere in 2002
　Representation／Kazuhiko Maehara
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Benjamin Uspov
　Costume／Miyoko Higaki
　2002 Creative Space 2002 sponsored by Kyoto Prefecture

Public Performance in Germany in 2005
　(Berlin Asia Pacific Week 2005)
　(Performing Arts Promotional Project)

A young priest,Anchin came for a pilgrimage to the Kumano Shrine and rented the Lodging of one night in the province of Kii.However,the master of the lodging Kiyohime was fell in love to young and noble priest. Kiyohime stealing into an Anchin's bedroom at the night and approached to accept her love. So Anchin promised that he would accept her wish after make a pilgrimage, and he left・・・
In spite of his word, he never returned to the cause of Kiyohime. Kiyohime was trembled for anger when she noticed it, and run after Anchin to the riverside of the Hidaka River. Although the river flood appeared in, Anchin had already crossed a river by boad. Kiyohime threw off her clothes and jumped into the river. Driven by hate, she chased him changing into the serpent.
Anchin was run away to Dojyoji and hid in the bell. However the serpent wound ifself around the bell and strucka cannon of the bell with its tail. The hate of Kiyohime became a flame, it swallowed Anchin and finally hi died.

HANAGATAMI～Memory of Flower～

Premiere in 2001
　Representation／Kazuhiko Maehara
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Jien Nakamura
　(Aid Project by Japan Arts Council)

MITSUKO～a coutess with black hair ～

Premiere in 1998
　Scenario／Yoshiki Mukai
　Representation／Miyoko Higaki
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　(Aid Project by Japan Arts Council)

2004 Repeat Performance
　(Representation／Shigehiko Maehara)
　awarded the Arts Festival Gland Prize of Cultural Affairs Agency
　(Performing Arts Promotional Project)

In 1893, the Austrian ambassador and his party, arriving in Japan, visit Kyoto to see the sights. The Japanese and the people of Kyoto in those days have never seen foreigners before. The foreigners and the Japanese are looking at each other with curiosity, and this is creating somewhat a humorous scene.

The ambassador and his party appear on stage led by a Japanese diplomat to dine at an exclusive restaurant in Kyoto. The party looks around with curiosity, when women clad in kimono come in to serve them, and the party is very much satisfied. Mitsuko is among these women. Heinrich Coudenhove, the ambassador, falls in love with Mitsuko. He asks the diplomat to be the go-between. Mitsuko's father, who is a mechant and who happens to be there, expresses a strongly opposed attitude. The surrounding atmosphere turns into a mood of celebration.

Mitsuko and Heinrich are all alone. They find they love each other for sure. The time comes for Heinrich to return ho his coutry. Mitsuko, who is mother of two boys by that time, nestles close to her husband, and sets forth to Vienna, taking along a nanny with her.

The scene on stage changes to a city in Eufope. Mitsuko makes her debut in the society of Vienna escorted by Heinrich. They dance brilliantly and finally are welcomed by the people around them.
With a sudden ominous misic, Heinrich collapses. She is left on the stage alone, abandoning herself to grief. The sudden death of Heinrich made Mitsuko sad.

Mitsuko is in her room, grieving deeply all by herself. Her daughters, who have grown up, come around to comfort her. Hans going to war, Richard getting married with older actress, Ida going into a convent and Orga taking care of Mitsuko, they all go away from Mitsuko. Frolicking in the world of re collection, Mitsuko sees Heinrich in illusion. Disporting themselves in a debut, their happiest moments are revived.

Mitsuko sings a Japanese song to herself. She dances a solo, showing here everlasting love to Heinrich. Behind her people memorable her pass.

The Ball scene in Vienna, the most beautiful time continues.

UGETSU STORY ～a waiting lady from Asajigayado～

Premiere in 1993
　Original／Syusei Ueda
　Scenario／Yoshiki Mukai
　Representation／Miyoko Higaki
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Takashi Yuasa,Takeshi Yoshida（marionette）,so on
　(Aid Project by Japan Arts Council)

SONEZAKI SHINJU ～MICHIYUKI～

Premiere in 1992
　Original／Monzaemon Chikamatsu
　Scenario,Representation／Yoshiki Mukai
　Choreograph／Yukiko Konishi
　Music／Takashi Yuasa,Takeshi Yoshida（marionette)
　Requested Work for Chikamatsu Laboratory Theater sponsored
　by Amagasaki City