"While I was traveling and in Regensburg, Germany, I saw a certain window and thought, 'Ah, this will be the Window of Orpheus.'"
"For me, it’s a far greater work than The Rose of Versailles. It is my life’s work."
The work being refered to by Riyoko Ikeda is The Window of Orpheus, which began serialization just two years after the end of The Rose of Versailles.
Isaac, Julius, and Klaus (real name: Alexei Mikhailov), all meet at a music school in Regensburg, Germany. The story is a historical epic following the lives of three people, who, though they love music, are thrown to the mercy of fate. The setting is Europe in the early 20th century, around the time of the Russian Revolution.
As the story unfolds, it moves from country to country: from Regensburg, Germany, to Vienna, Austria, and Saint Petersburg, Russia. It so happens that the first location, Regensburg, was a town where Ikeda happened to stay during her travels.
“After the serialization of The Rose of Versailles ended, I went on a long trip to Europe with a manga artist friend. We visited multiple countries, France and England, then we entered Germany by way of train from Vienna. By chance, the station where we got off happened to be Regensburg.”
After taking a liking to the beautiful historic town, Ikeda decided to stay in Regensburg for a while. "I thought, I’ll use this place as the model for my next work.”
"I had been taking piano lessons since I was a child and had always loved music and had wanted to create a work set at a music school. When I visited Regensburg, it finally began to take shape in my mind, I could almost picture it."
It was also here that she came up with the legend of “The Window of Orpheus,” which became the title of the work. There is an old window at the music school that the three attend. If one stands at the window and looks down, they will fall in love with the first woman they see, but that love will always end in tragedy....so the legend goes. Through the mysterious power of this window, many dramas unfold.
"It is a legend I came up with myself, inspired by the tragic love of Orpheus and Eurydice from Greek mythology, but there is a real window that served as the model. There was a window I saw when I was in Regensburg, and at that moment I thought, ‘Ah, I’ll make this the Window of Orpheus.’”
"The characters can be lucky or unlucky and clumsy, but what they all have in common is that they are people who take life seriously."
Once the setting is established, it is said the characters seem to develop naturally.
“I wanted to portray the noble spirit of someone who engages with music with sincerity, so first thought of Isaac. Like Oscar, Julius is a beautiful woman dressed as a man, but her personality is very weak and sensitive. I thought it would be good if she was completely different from Oscar, so that’s how she turned out.
For a long time I had also been thinking that I would like to try depicting the Russian Revolution. In The Rose of Versailles, the French Revolution serves as a backdrop that allows for more dramatic storytelling than a peaceful era would. So I thought if I set the story up where a revolutionary hides his identity and enrolls in a music school I could also depict the Russian Revolution, so I created the character Klaus."
"To me this work is my life's work. It is much bigger the The Rose of Versailles"
The beautiful Julius, the dynamic Klaus. When compared to these two dazzling characters, who were extremely popular with the readers at the time, Isaac's earnest way of life feels heavy and bittersweet.
"Nevertheless, to me Isaac is the protagonist. Throughout this work, his feelings toward the piano remain consistent from beginning to end."
Indeed. Now that I am an adult and have reread the story again, I have come to realize just how Isaac's painful and intense passion for music is the saving grace of this tragedy.
"I think sincerity is important. I personally dislike people who are not sincere, in terms of work or relationships, being serious is a top requirement of mine and always has been. When I say 'serious" I don't mean someone who never jokes, I mean someone who is genuine and sincere about life. The characters can be lucky or unlucky and clumsy, but what they all have in common is that they are people who take life seriously. I don't think there is anyone just going with the flow in this story."
After all, the work humans do, rather insignificant. If that is the case, I will give my all and do what I love.
Due to poverty Isaac is reduced to playing piano at a tavern. Julius is caught up in a family feud over inheritance. Klaus throws himself into the Russian Revolution. Three people whose lives were supposed to be colored by beautiful music. They endure various hardships and gradually walk away from the public stage.
The conclusion of the story is no happy ending. Within the great currents of history, everything is but a brief passing moment, this ending makes one feel that sense of impermanence.
Humans are nothing more but disposable vessels of genetics. I was able to turn a 180 by thinking that way
"While drawing, I thought about how all the things humans do are are rather insignificant. If that is the case, I will give my all and do what I love.
If you start to think to highly of yourself, you will limit yourself and what you are able to do. You may think things like 'I mustn't fail' or 'I must not lose'. In the end, humans are nothing more but disposable vessels of genetics. I was able to turn a 180 by thinking that way, I was able to let certain things go. This work became a major turning point for me.
People these days are having fewer children, they are raised with such care, that many of them end up with an inflated sense of self importance. They tend to think they are special and believe they are entitled to special treatment, or that they have to be known and make a name for themselves.
In that respect I think Isaac is the type of person whose ego would not become inflated. He never played the piano for personal gain or glory, but for the belief that music is something to be offered to God. I find that music that lacks love for humanity or reverence for God is boring to listen too.
I find that music that lacks love for humanity or reverence for God is boring to listen too.
When the serialization of ‘The Window of Orpheus’ ended, I felt, ‘my work is finally finished'. As a mangaka this was my limit, I don't think I will ever be able to create anything that surpasses this."
After finishing that, she said ‘I want to do whatever I like so that I have no regrets!' and enrolled in a music college, challenging herself in the new world of ‘singing.’ Now she spends her days completely immersed in music, she says, 'I can’t live without classical music, it’s become an indispensable part of my life'.
For you, is music something you offer to God?
"I think every kind of music is fine. There is music that is offered to God, and there is music that is performed for people to listen to. What is important though, is to not disrespect music, because music that lacks love for humanity or reverence for God is, boring to listen to. Which will come across in the music
For example, Fujiko Hemming’s performances, in purely in technical terms, are not that wonderful. Yet, the fact that it can move peoples hearts, I think that is what matters. What is is important is how you approach music and that you sincerely engage with it."
If one reads ‘The Window of Orpheus again, they will hear different kind of music.
