Draft:Cross Road (musical)

Cross Road is a musical written by Bun-O Fujisawa and composed by Toshiyuki Muranaka. It premiered in Tokyo in June, 2022, produced by Toho. A second run was produced in 2024 with new direction and changes, including new songs, which was recorded for streaming and television broadcast.

The story centers on Niccolo Paganini, a violinist and composer who has made a contract with the devil Amduscias.

Act 1
On a dark and stormy night, Asha breaks into Niccolo Paganini's house. Niccolo's butler, Armando, catches her, and she tells him that she was Paganini's student. Paganini has died, and Asha wants Armando to tell her about his life.

Amduscias recounts his memories of Niccolo ("Cross Road"). Niccolo was born in 1782, in Genoa. When he was very small, he was sick, and his mother's singing helped him recover ("Casa Nostalgia"). Niccolo's musical talents soon became apparent, and his mother hired Genoa's top music teacher, Costa, to teach him ("Gifted"). Costa believes that Niccolo is talented, but not a genius. Niccolo runs off into the forest to practice at the crossroad. He asks God why he was given talent, but not the genius needed to bring the heavenly melodies in his head to life ("Cruel God"). A mysterious figure appears and talks to him, revealing that he knows everything about Niccolo. Niccolo realizes that this is the devil of the crossroad, Amduscias, who tempts Niccolo with "devilish music" that can win him the world ("Contract of Blood"). Niccolo tries to resist, but he accepts a contract. Niccolo's concert for the nobility of Vienna is a success, but Costa is shocked that Niccolo has suddenly learned such mysterious techniques ("Gifted" (reprise)). But the reality of the contract weighs on Niccolo ("Count Down").

Back in the present, Armando asks Asha how she knew Niccolo. She describes becoming Niccolo's student ("Asha the Gypsy"). Asha asks Armando why Niccolo left Genoa, and Armando begins to tell her. Amduscias and the younger Niccolo are in a bar. Niccolo is angry that he has lost his patron, the church. Amduscias tells him that he can go out into the world, leave Genoa behind, and find a new patron. He encourages Niccolo to play in the bar, to show him that everyone will respond to his music ("Violinist the Devil"). He notes that, in the end, the choice is Niccolo's, and that he can't force him to leave.

Niccolo returns home, scared of the idea of leaving his parents behind in Genoa. His mother tells him that a summons has come from the church, and that he must attend an inquisition regarding the demonic rumors about him. He goes to the cathedral and plays for the inquisition, in breach of his contract with Amduscias. The people around decide that his music is demonic ("Inquisition"). Niccolo is banished from Genoa but emerges triumphant, as Amduscias exalts ("Cross Road" (reprise)).

Act 2
At a ball, Elisa Bonaparte is annoyed at being surrounded by flatterers. When she is alone, she muses that she was only a country girl from Corsica, and that no one notices her in this palace, they only see her brother, and the power and favor they want from him. Amduscias enters and offers her a gift to relieve her loneliness and boredom – the violinist Niccolo Paganini ("Tango to Sin"). Amduscias is pleased by Niccolo's growing success, and Elisa tells a crowd about all the places she plans to take him ("World Knows"). Meanwhile, Niccolo's mother writes letters to him, worried about his health. Armando also worries about him. Niccolo finishes a concert, and Armando tells him that he has a guest, Hector Berlioz. Elisa recognizes the name and tells Niccolo to speak with him. Niccolo rudely rejects Berlioz. Amduscias arrives and tells Niccolo that the audience is still waiting for an encore, another song from his countdown. Niccolo sits back down on the couch and thinks about his life, and the deal he's made ("Ancora").

Niccolo's mother comes from Genoa to Paris to watch Niccolo's next concert. Amduscias sits next to her and starts a conversation, tempting her to brag more about her famous son, but she confidently tells him that Niccolo will never lose to him. Later, Niccolo receives a letter telling him that his mother has died. In a duet with her, he laments that he won't see her in Heaven, because he is going to Hell ("Casa Nostalgia" (reprise)). Amduscias reminds him of the contract, and Niccolo is tormented by regrets ("Contract of Blood" (reprise)). Elisa tells him that her brother the emperor wants to hear Niccolo perform. After performing for the emperor, Niccolo faints. Amduscias appears and tells Elisa that she is causing Niccolo to die by asking him to play, and that if he is to survive, she must leave him. She orders her servants to throw Niccolo out, and laments that even though she loves him, if she must leave him to keep him safe, she will ("Hanarereba Hanareruhodo ni Ai").

Amduscias appears, alone, and recounts the jealousy devils feel towards humans, who are loved by God, while devils were cast out, and that devils wish to prove that they can protect humans as well as God can ("Mitase, mimi wo"). Niccolo goes to see a concert by Berlioz and makes up for his earlier treatment of the younger composer with money and advice ("Wanderer"). He returns home drunk, and Armando tries to convince him to save himself. When Niccolo falls asleep, Armando prays for God to spare him ("Prayer of Rage").

Niccolo plays his final concert the next night, returns home, and dies, but the enduring legacy of his music is secure ("Ancora" (reprise)).

Productions
A staged reading of the play that later was rewritten as the book and lyrics of the musical was performed at Theater Creation in 2012; it featured Jun Shibuki as Niccolo Paganini, and Koichi Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara as all other characters.

The musical premiered at Theater Creation in Tokyo in 2022.

A second run featured a new staging directed by Yoichi Suenaga. It ran at Theater Creation from April 22 to May 12, 2024, at Shin-Kabukiza in Osaka from May 17 to 19, and at Hakataza in Fukuoka from May 24 to 26, 2024. The cast included Akinori Nakagawa as Amduscias, Hiroki Aiba and Kento Kinouchi as Niccolo Paganini, Ririka Kato and Hitomi Arisa as Asha, Natsumi Motoe as Elisa Bonaparte, Kenji Sakamoto as Costa and Louis-Hector Berlioz, Koichi Yamadera and Hiroshi Hatanaka as Armando and Sumire Haruno as Teresa Paganini. Two performances of the production were recorded by Toho and released as a stream and TV broadcast in August 2024.

Act 1

 * 1) CROSS ROAD - Amduscias
 * 2) Casa Nostalgia - Teresa
 * 3) Gifted - Teresa, Costa
 * 4) Cruel God - Paganini
 * 5) Contract of Blood - Amduscias, Paganini, Chorus
 * 6) Gifted (reprise) - Teresa, Costa, Amduscias, Chorus
 * 7) Count Down - Amduscias, Armando, Chorus
 * 8) Asha the Gypsy - Asha, Paganini
 * 9) ANATHEMA - Chorus
 * 10) Violinist The Devil - Amduscias, Paganini, Chorus
 * 11) Inquisition - Amduscias, Costa, Teresa, Paganini, Chorus

Act 2

 * 1) Endless Glory - Elisa, Chorus
 * 2) Tango To Sin - Amduscias, Elisa
 * 3) World Knows - Amduscias, Paganini, Elisa, Chorus
 * 4) Ancora - Paganini, Chorus
 * 5) Casa Nostalgia (reprise) - Teresa, Paganini
 * 6) Contract of Blood (reprise) - Amduscias, Paganini, Chorus
 * 7) Femme Fatale - Amduscias, Elisa
 * 8) Hanarereba Hanareruhodo ni Ai - Elisa
 * 9) Mitase, Mimi wo - Amduscias
 * 10) Wanderer - Berlioz, Paganini
 * 11) Prayer of Rage - Armando
 * 12) Contract of Blood (reprise) - Amduscias
 * 13) Asha the Gypsy (reprise) - Amduscias, Asha, Paganini
 * 14) Casa Nostalgia (Last ver.) - Amduscias, Paganini, Chorus
 * 15) Ancora (reprise) - Paganini
 * 16) CROSS ROAD (reprise) - Amduscias
 * 17) Ancora (Last ver.) - Armando, Teresa, Asha, Elisa, Berlioz, Chorus

Critical reception
Critics thought the new staging of the 2024 revival was improved.