Hokusai-Themed Opera to Premiere in Scotland

London, Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)--An opera exploring the life of Japanese ukiyo-e traditional woodblock print artist Katsushika Hokusai will premiere in Scotland next February.

Titled "The Great Wave," the opera is the latest work by London-based composer Dai Fujikura and a joint production with Scotland's Scottish Opera.

In an interview with Jiji Press, Fujikura said he hopes audiences will "draw courage from Hokusai's way of life and spirit."

He described the artist from the late Edo period (1603-1868) as "a very positive person who kept going no matter what happened."

Fujikura said he sought to convey "the courage to keep working positively even in old age" by depicting Hokusai, who continued to create energetically until his last days on the belief that artworks improve as the artist grows older.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]