Ophelia's Sorrow

This piece focuses on Ophelia, leading character in Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Ophelia is romantically involved with Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark. However, Hamlet pretends to go mad to uncover the truth behind the sudden death of his father, the King. Unaware of Hamlet's motives, Ophelia is deeply hurt by his cold demeanor and is overcome with grief. Amidst this turmoil, Ophelia's father, Polonius, hides in the room where Hamlet is speaking with his mother, Queen Gertrude. Mistaking Polonius for a spy eavesdropping on their conversation, Hamlet kills him in error. Stricken by grief over her father's death and Hamlet's behavior, Ophelia loses her sanity and ultimately meets her tragic end. Initially the music portrays Ophelia's beauty, characterized by soft tones of the woodwinds and the resonant euphonium. The atmosphere then shifts abruptly to depict a violent scene of war. Following this, the music transitions to Ophelia's feelings for Hamlet, with woodwinds taking the lead. This is followed by a solemn moment in the brass sharing the scene of a church prayer. The finale conveys Ophelia's profound sorrow and distress over her father's death, culminating with her descent into madness. When performing this work, it is essential to study the story in depth. Additionally, there are many illustrations of Ophelia that could serve as a source of inspiration. A dynamic and expressive performance will help convey the tragedy of her story, and I hope you will embrace this approach. (Tomohito Matsushita)

(Tomohito Matsushita)