The world of opera has always found inspiration in the works of William Shakespeare, but adapting them for the stage requires flexibility.
Kyoko Hagi, a composer who serves as the representative of Opera Theater Konnyakuza, points out that Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi transformed "Macbeth" into an opera by cutting a lot of the elements that made the theatrical version so appealing.
"Though the real thrill of seeing Shakespeare is the wordplay and rapid scene changes, these elements are cut in the libretto for the Italian-style grand opera because that format requires the inclusion of arias and choirs," Hagi says.