Now that news got out of (through an interview with Kent Nagano) that
Ichiro Nodaira is composing an opera based on an idea of Takemitsu, to a
libretto by David Lynch collaborator Barry Gifford, I am getting more
details from the principals involved in the project.  Here are some
unedited quotes from a message in English from the Japanese composer,
living in Paris:

   "Yes.  I will compose maybe from this autumn or winter an opera
   with a texte of Barry Gifford on the idea of japanese composer Toru
   Takemitsu.  Because Kent commisioned him an opera probably for Lyon,
   and Barry wrote an texte, but Takemitsu died before compose.  And
   now, Kent proposed me this texte de Barry, and I accepted to work
   with this.

   "The title `Madrugada' is Spanish.  Ma dru ga da f.  Spanish (amanecer)
   dawn; (levantada) early rising de m.  daybreak, very early; the time
   before the dawn

   "The following is a resume of Barry Gifford told about this texte.
   MADRUGADA is the futuristic story of a teenage girl's rebellion
   against her parents and the repressive society that terrorizes them
   into submission.  A Jeanne d'Arc-like fantasy, Takemitsu conceived
   in a dream this notion of a world gone wrong only to be saved and
   ultimately resurrected by forces of nature both unyielding represented
   by cetaceans, the whales and brave he girl, Yumi, a tough but tender
   Pied-Piper destined to lead all living creatures into an ever evolving
   and vastly more enlightened era.

   "This tale of generational, cultural and artistic conflict perfectly
   expressed for Takemitsu the struggle of beauty versus all that he
   perceived as ugly in terms of human behavior.  As such, MADRUGADA
   gives voice to Toru-san's aesthetic agenda, his formula for escape
   from fear.  It is with this purpose in mind that The Hermphrodite
   admonishes us in the Coda to, `Remember!  The memory of love is the
   saving grace of the human race.'"

Semi-related PS: About five years ago, I got advance news of another
Asian-Western opera project, music to be written by a Chinese-Canadian
composer to a libretto by David Henry Hwang. I had a chance to read the
amazing text of "The Scarlett Princess" (Chinese legends combined with the
feel and symbolism of "Die Frau Ohne Schatten" and "Parsifal"), but the
opera itself just didn't materialize... I think. Any news to the contrary?

Janos Gereben/SF
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