These two performances at LSO St Luke’s are a rare opportunity to experience the 650-year-old art of noh, and the genius of classical noh performer Akira Matsui, as part of a bold collaboration with western opera, theatre, ballet, music and poetry. We are particularly pleased that this special programme will include ‘Rockaby’ by Samuel Beckett.
Mr Matsui is a unique traditional Japanese noh artist, classically trained from childhood and a long-time performer within the noh world’s Kita School. He is recognised for his contribution to the international understanding of noh, numerous intercultural projects, and his performances across the world.
Mr Matsui will perform in three of the four pieces in the ‘Noh time like the present…’ programme to demonstrate the universality, contemporary relevance, exibility and innovative qualities of classical noh as well as the respective western genres.
‘Rockaby’ by Samuel Beckett features Mr Matsui (with Hugh Quarshie) to illustrate the dramatic quality and sense of presence of noh in relation to this contemporary western theatre piece. The second piece, ‘Noh Hayashi’ (with musicians Richard Emmert, Eitaro Okura and Kayu Omura), will present a traditional instrumental piece from noh. ‘Noh meets Bach’, the third piece, will highlight the vocal quality of classical noh combined with Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite No 1 (with cellist Lucia Capellaro).
After the interval, the programme will nish with the premiere of ‘Opposites-InVerse’ a short three-part conceptual piece by Jannette Cheong, composed by Richard Emmert, in uenced by philosophy, science and the art of noh. It combines a noh-structured western poetic text with noh composition and musicians; and with the noh melodies sung by opera vocalists (Piran Legg and Meili Li). The piece will be danced as a duet between Mr Matsui, and contemporary ballet dancer and choreographer, Peter Leung; together they will weave a tapestry of noh and western skills to convey a simple beauty in three timeless vignettes on life.
Professor Mario Yokomichi, one of the most important 20th century scholars of noh has written:
‘An image exists of noh as a rigid form that cannot be altered in even the minutest ways. However, noh can be changed in multiple and various ways to the performer’s creative disposition. With this freedom, the performer is able
to imbue the performance with their individuality and emotionally connect with the audience. As a result noh has been able to survive for hundreds of years. Because of the freedom within the performance of noh, it continues even today to draw in audiences and speak to their hearts.’”
Please refer to the press release via the following link: flyer, PDF
Noh time like the present .... at LSO St Luke's, website