Opera in development: composer Renell Shaw extends his practice into long-form music drama with Yasuke, an opera based on the African samurai, for Music Theatre Wales

As well as being having a year-long residency at Kings Place as part of Memory Unwrapped [see my article] composer, songwriter and producer Renell Shaw is extending his practice in other ways as part of a commission from Music Theatre Wales for his first opera. Renell Shaw's Yasuke is a work in development and its premiere is planned for 2027. 

The opera is based on the remarkable, yet true, story of Yasuke, the first known African to appear in Japanese historical records. His story begins in the 16th century, when he was taken from Africa and transported across continents before arriving in Japan. It was not uncommon for individual Africans to be brought to Japan as attendants of Jesuit missionaries. There, Yasuke entered the orbit of the powerful daimyō Oda Nobunaga, rising to become a trusted samurai warrior and one of the most singular figures in Japanese history.

Yasuke has reemerged into contemporary cultural history, appearing as a central figure in the game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, while works such as Afro Samurai have reimagined his legacy in very different ways. The British Museum's Samurai Exhibition (which closed recently) also featured Yasuke, and as part of developing the opera, Renell Shaw and Music Theatre Wales were invited to visit the British Museum for an event linked to the Samurai exhibition and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. While there, Renell Shaw spoke with exhibition co-curator Joe Nickolls about Yasuke and the world he lived in, from the Sengoku period in Japan to the wider movement of people, ideas and power across continents at the time. [see YouTube]

As regards Renell Shaw's music, rather than simply combining musical traditions, the work is focused on building a sound world that reflects the tension and duality within Yasuke’s experience, between cultures, identities and internal states. In December 2025, Renell Shaw worked with musicians from Sinfonia Cymru alongside African and Asian percussion, traditional Japanese flutes and electric guitar in Aberystwyth, in an orchestral workshop and public sharing exploring material for the opera.

Further information from the Music Theatre Wales website