Matobu Sei's Last Day in Takarazuka City (Mar. 7th)
A quick 'n dirty translation, and a bunch of press links to Matobu Sei's last day at the Grand Theater. According to the various articles, there were six curtain calls, and around 5000 fans waiting to see the parade, despite the light drizzle of rain.
Retirement Press Conference
[ Source: Takarazuka Home Page ]
Matobu Sei: Thank you, everyone, for today. Now, as I graduate from the Grand Theater, stronger than any deep feeling is my sense of relief for having finished, but I'm so glad over how happy I am. There is still the Tokyo performance, so I want to continue as Matobu Sei of Flower Troupe until the very end. Thank you.
Q: Was there any scene where you felt that you might cry?
A: As far as the musical is concerned, Suzuki-sensei wrote Freddie Clark as an otokoyaku in my image, so that each time I can easily slip into the role, and although today was the final performance I didn't need to psych myself up, so that I could perform without nervousness. But then when I came face to face with the warm applause and gazes from the audience when I went out onto the Silver Bridge and at other times, I really felt "this is the last time". During the Sayonara Show when everyone was waving their penlights I thought, "This is a moment that god has given to me," and felt that I might not be able to sing.
Q: Tell us about the Sayonara Show.
A: I think everyone has seen something of the revue show "Exciter!!" who has seen Flower Troupe recently, so I wanted to a lot of scenes from "Exciter!!", and of course I wanted to show everyone Mr. Yu, one of the characters born from that show. Rather than a solemn Sayonara Show, I wanted to finish and close the curtain with something more like me, with laughter and lots of energy.
Q: Looking back on everything that came before.
A: I think I'm very blessed to have come to where I am now. I'm grateful for receiving more than I merited beginning when I was an underclassman, just working hard to fulfill them took everything I had, and from those days where just standing on the stage was fun, to those days that were truly like a maelstrom where I began to have duties and self-awareness -- even as I think back I can't remember it all, that's the kind of replete life it was, and I have a sense that my Takarazuka life went by in the blink of an eye.
Q: Plans after leaving the Revue?
A: This world is so blessed, so warm and protective, and this theater where I shared so much with the audience, I think the Revue is the only thing like it in the world. Where I am now, this is what I want to do, and I haven't found anything at all that attracts me more than Takarazuka. But on April 24th my Takarazuka life will finish, and from the next day I'd like to look closely at my own heart without feeling flustered, and decide on my next path. And so nothing is decided yet.
Original Text (as the HP tends to take things down after a while):
真飛 聖
「皆さま本日は本当にありがとうございました。今、宝塚大劇場を卒業する事ができ、深い実感というより、やり終えた安堵感の方が強いですが、こんなに幸せな気持ちになれて本当に嬉しく思っております。東京公演もありますので、最後の最後まで花組の男役・真飛聖としてしっかりと舞台を務めてまいりますのでどうぞ宜しくお願い致します」
Q．涙しそうになった場面はありましたか？
A．お芝居に関しては、フレディー・クラークという鈴木先生が私らしい男役像を書いてくださり、毎回すんなりと役に入ることができましたので、本日も千秋楽だからと変な気負いもありませんでしたし、いい意味で緊張もなくできました。ただ、やはりお客様の温かい拍手や眼差しとかを銀橋へ行ったときなどに目の当たりにすると、“最後なんだな”という実感はありました。サヨナラショーで皆様がペンライトを振ってくださった時に、“こんな時間を私にも神様が与えてくださったんだ”と思うと、歌が歌えなくなりそうにはなりました。
Q．サヨナラショーについて
A．『EXCITER!!』というショーに出会い、今の花組を皆さまに見ていただけたと思っていますので、『EXCITER!!』の中での沢山の場面と、やはりこの作品の中で生まれたMr．Yuという人物だけはお客様に見ていただきたいと思いました。しんみりしたサヨナラショーというよりは、私らしく、笑って元気いっぱいで終われる、そして幕が下ろせるショーにしたいなという思いでした。
Q．今日までを振り返って
A．本当に恵まれてここまでやってこれたと思っています。ありがたいことに自分の実力以上のものを下級生の頃から与えていただき、それを一生懸命こなすだけで精一杯だったり、ただ舞台に立つことが楽しいと思っていた日々から、色々な責任や自覚を持ち始めてからの日々というのは本当に怒涛のように、考えても思い出せないくらい今の生活が濃くて、もしかしたらあっという間の宝塚人生だったのかなという感覚です。
Q．退団後の予定は？
A．こんなにも恵まれ、温かく守られている世界で、お客様と色んなことを共有できる劇場、劇団というのは世界にひとつだと思います。ここにいる今、自分でこれがしたい、宝塚以上に何か惹かれるものはまだまだ全然見つかりません。ただ、4月24日でこの宝塚生活は終わってしまうので、次の日から自分の心ときちんと向き合って焦らずに次の道を決めていきたいなと思っているので、今は何も決まっておりません。
Press:
Matobu Sei's Sayonara Performance "Prelude of Love / Le Paradis!!" (Sponichi)
Matobu Sei "I won't forget everyone's love" ... She sang passionately in her Sayonara Show (Osaka Hochi Yomiuri)
Flower Troupe Matobu Sei, a tearful Sayonara performance (Daily Sports Online)
Matobu Sei, who made her entrance after her Sayonara Show in green hakama-- "I'm retiring now because now is the time when I can say that I love Takarazuka. I love you all~", she said with eyes overflowing with tears and a beaming smile.
[Flower Troupe] Matobu Sei, farewell to the bastion "Beloved" (Sanspo)
"There is no place in the world so important, so precious, that I want to protect so much that I'm overflowing with love. I love it with all my heart," she said in her speech.
Takarazuka Revue Matobu Sei Sayonara Performance Final performance at the bastion (Sankei MSN)
Matobu Sei, Leaving Takarazuka (Sankei Kansai)
Sayonara Show photos (DSO)
Press Conference photos (DSO)
Sayonara Parade Photos - set 1 (DSO)
Sayonara Parade Photos - set 2 (DSO)
Retirement Press Conference
[ Source: Takarazuka Home Page ]
Matobu Sei: Thank you, everyone, for today. Now, as I graduate from the Grand Theater, stronger than any deep feeling is my sense of relief for having finished, but I'm so glad over how happy I am. There is still the Tokyo performance, so I want to continue as Matobu Sei of Flower Troupe until the very end. Thank you.
Q: Was there any scene where you felt that you might cry?
A: As far as the musical is concerned, Suzuki-sensei wrote Freddie Clark as an otokoyaku in my image, so that each time I can easily slip into the role, and although today was the final performance I didn't need to psych myself up, so that I could perform without nervousness. But then when I came face to face with the warm applause and gazes from the audience when I went out onto the Silver Bridge and at other times, I really felt "this is the last time". During the Sayonara Show when everyone was waving their penlights I thought, "This is a moment that god has given to me," and felt that I might not be able to sing.
Q: Tell us about the Sayonara Show.
A: I think everyone has seen something of the revue show "Exciter!!" who has seen Flower Troupe recently, so I wanted to a lot of scenes from "Exciter!!", and of course I wanted to show everyone Mr. Yu, one of the characters born from that show. Rather than a solemn Sayonara Show, I wanted to finish and close the curtain with something more like me, with laughter and lots of energy.
Q: Looking back on everything that came before.
A: I think I'm very blessed to have come to where I am now. I'm grateful for receiving more than I merited beginning when I was an underclassman, just working hard to fulfill them took everything I had, and from those days where just standing on the stage was fun, to those days that were truly like a maelstrom where I began to have duties and self-awareness -- even as I think back I can't remember it all, that's the kind of replete life it was, and I have a sense that my Takarazuka life went by in the blink of an eye.
Q: Plans after leaving the Revue?
A: This world is so blessed, so warm and protective, and this theater where I shared so much with the audience, I think the Revue is the only thing like it in the world. Where I am now, this is what I want to do, and I haven't found anything at all that attracts me more than Takarazuka. But on April 24th my Takarazuka life will finish, and from the next day I'd like to look closely at my own heart without feeling flustered, and decide on my next path. And so nothing is decided yet.
Original Text (as the HP tends to take things down after a while):
真飛 聖
「皆さま本日は本当にありがとうございました。今、宝塚大劇場を卒業する事ができ、深い実感というより、やり終えた安堵感の方が強いですが、こんなに幸せな気持ちになれて本当に嬉しく思っております。東京公演もありますので、最後の最後まで花組の男役・真飛聖としてしっかりと舞台を務めてまいりますのでどうぞ宜しくお願い致します」
Q．涙しそうになった場面はありましたか？
A．お芝居に関しては、フレディー・クラークという鈴木先生が私らしい男役像を書いてくださり、毎回すんなりと役に入ることができましたので、本日も千秋楽だからと変な気負いもありませんでしたし、いい意味で緊張もなくできました。ただ、やはりお客様の温かい拍手や眼差しとかを銀橋へ行ったときなどに目の当たりにすると、“最後なんだな”という実感はありました。サヨナラショーで皆様がペンライトを振ってくださった時に、“こんな時間を私にも神様が与えてくださったんだ”と思うと、歌が歌えなくなりそうにはなりました。
Q．サヨナラショーについて
A．『EXCITER!!』というショーに出会い、今の花組を皆さまに見ていただけたと思っていますので、『EXCITER!!』の中での沢山の場面と、やはりこの作品の中で生まれたMr．Yuという人物だけはお客様に見ていただきたいと思いました。しんみりしたサヨナラショーというよりは、私らしく、笑って元気いっぱいで終われる、そして幕が下ろせるショーにしたいなという思いでした。
Q．今日までを振り返って
A．本当に恵まれてここまでやってこれたと思っています。ありがたいことに自分の実力以上のものを下級生の頃から与えていただき、それを一生懸命こなすだけで精一杯だったり、ただ舞台に立つことが楽しいと思っていた日々から、色々な責任や自覚を持ち始めてからの日々というのは本当に怒涛のように、考えても思い出せないくらい今の生活が濃くて、もしかしたらあっという間の宝塚人生だったのかなという感覚です。
Q．退団後の予定は？
A．こんなにも恵まれ、温かく守られている世界で、お客様と色んなことを共有できる劇場、劇団というのは世界にひとつだと思います。ここにいる今、自分でこれがしたい、宝塚以上に何か惹かれるものはまだまだ全然見つかりません。ただ、4月24日でこの宝塚生活は終わってしまうので、次の日から自分の心ときちんと向き合って焦らずに次の道を決めていきたいなと思っているので、今は何も決まっておりません。
Press:
Matobu Sei's Sayonara Performance "Prelude of Love / Le Paradis!!" (Sponichi)
Matobu Sei "I won't forget everyone's love" ... She sang passionately in her Sayonara Show (Osaka Hochi Yomiuri)
Flower Troupe Matobu Sei, a tearful Sayonara performance (Daily Sports Online)
Matobu Sei, who made her entrance after her Sayonara Show in green hakama-- "I'm retiring now because now is the time when I can say that I love Takarazuka. I love you all~", she said with eyes overflowing with tears and a beaming smile.
[Flower Troupe] Matobu Sei, farewell to the bastion "Beloved" (Sanspo)
"There is no place in the world so important, so precious, that I want to protect so much that I'm overflowing with love. I love it with all my heart," she said in her speech.
Takarazuka Revue Matobu Sei Sayonara Performance Final performance at the bastion (Sankei MSN)
Matobu Sei, Leaving Takarazuka (Sankei Kansai)
Sayonara Show photos (DSO)
Press Conference photos (DSO)
Sayonara Parade Photos - set 1 (DSO)
Sayonara Parade Photos - set 2 (DSO)