Giving Tsuda Her Flowers

In August, a new opera premiered in Tokyo, Japan, that tells the story of how Umeko Tsuda, class of 1893, studied at Bryn Mawr and went on to found Tsuda University in her home country.

In August, a new opera, Ume: Blooming Path of Life, premiered in Tokyo. Created by the Historical Opera Production Committee, the storied life of Umeko Tsuda was set to music.

Tsuda, class of 1893, went on to found Tsuda University in Japan, revolutionizing education for women and inspiring generations of Japanese students at Bryn Mawr.

The character of Umeko Tsuda stands on a dark stage — The character of Umeko Tsuda in a new opera about her life. Photo courtesy of the Historical Opera Production Committee.

“We aim to create a stage that conveys her way of life to people today — who are far more privileged than those of the past — and to give a push of encouragement to those who are struggling with their career paths or what they should do,” says Yuri Shinada, executive producer of the Historical Opera Committee, which was formed to share the stories of Japan’s historical figures in original Japanese-language operas.

"The opera made me proud of the impact that Bryn Mawr has in paving the way for women’s higher education in the U.S. and beyond." – Eri Koike ’10

The opera is the third in a series produced by the committee since 2014. The first was about Chiune Sugihara, who saved thousands of Jewish refugees from Lithuania in World War II; the second centered on famed microbiologist Shibasaburo Kitasato.

“Our goal is to widely disseminate and preserve the achievements of these great figures, who overcame numerous hardships, believed in themselves, and stood up to the challenges of their times,” Shinada says.

Ume: Blooming Path of Life was produced in partnership with Tsuda University; President Yuko Takahashi’s research was instrumental in the creation of the opera. Members of the Bryn Mawr Club of Japan were invited to the premiere and sent the cast a flower arrangement topped with a Bryn Mawr pennant.

The Bryn Mawr Club of Japan with a flower arrangement for the cast of the opera about Umeko Tsuda — The Bryn Mawr Club of Japan poses with a flower arrangement they gave to the cast of the opera Ume: Blooming Path of Life. Photo by Eri Koike ’10.

“While I knew of Umeko's overall impact as the driving force behind girls’ and women’s education in Japan in the late 19th and early 20th century, I learned so much from this performance, and was deeply moved by Umeko’s courage and dedication to her cause, even in the face of unthinkable adversity,” says Miranda Liu ’12.

Fujiko Amano ’94 says that she has recently, in addition to her full-time work, started teaching part-time, and so found the opera especially compelling. “Today’s performance that portrayed Umeko's inspiring devotion and determination for Japanese women's higher education awakened my passion and dream for creating more young global talents in Japan.”