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As part of its 100th anniversary, Japan Society in New York is holding “Noh ~ NOW!” an examination of historical transitions in Noh theater.
Current “Noh ~ NOW!” Related Program
“Awakenings: Zen Figure Painting in Medieval Japan”
Japan Society holds exhibitions twice a year, in association with Japanese, Asian, European, and American museums. This current exhibition focuses on the Zen sect portraits during the medieval period in Japan, and the Chinese portraits that influenced them. The masterpieces, collected from museums and private collections in Japan, Germany, France, and the United States, including Japanese National Treasures and important Cultural Properties, are divided in two showings due to preservation and restoration reasons. The second showing opened on May 8th, with an exhibition introducing kake-jiku (hanging scrolls) and Fusuma-e (paintings on sliding doors). As well as looking at the historical Zen relationship shared between Japan and China the exhibition examines how styles used in China such as brushworks, structures, and objects traveled to Japan, where they were enhanced. The show also describes how the Zen art developed in Japan after being conveyed from India to China, and later Japan.
- Exhibition Tour (approximately one hour)
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- English:
- 12:30pm Tuesday through Sunday
- 2pm Sunday only
- Japanese:
- Sunday 1:30pm
- Exhibition Date: March 28- June 17
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- Gallery Hours:
- Tuesday through Thursday, 11 am - 6 pm
- Friday, 11 am - 9 pm
- Saturday & Sunday, 11 am - 5 pm
The Four Gentlemanly Accomplishments
Oguri Sokei / Japanese, Muromachi period, 16th Century
Kyoto National Museum /Important Cultural Property
Courtesy of Japan Society
Upcoming “Noh ~ NOW!” Events
Performance “Koosil-Ja's mech[A] OUTPUT” May 31 ~ June 2
 ©Pascale Willi
This is a contemporary dance by radical new choreographer, Koosil-Ja, who was inspired by the classic noh play Dojoji. This contemporary dance performance presents a combination of Noh, multimedia music, sounds, and 3-D video imaging.
Lecture “Zen & Popular Culture: Interpretations, Re-interpretations, Misinterpretations” June 14th at 6:30pm
In this symposium, a discussion will be on the ubiquitous presence of “Zen” and its influence abroad in the modern world.
Takigi-Noh “Noh & Kyogen in the Park” Thursday, July 19 - Saturday, July 21
Hideyoshi Toyotomi, one of the most remarkable men in Japan’s history, who also was a great patron of acclaimed Noh masters, commissioned Noh plays, called taikoh-noh.
For this performance, one of the leading Noh artists, Umewaka Rokuzo, has chosen “Hojo” from the taikoh-noh repertoire, and as a new noh work, he will re-conceptualize the stage into takigi-noh. In addition to this performance, the classical Noh “Izutsu”, which is said to be played by Hideyoshi himself, will be performed by members of Tessen-kai, led by Kanze Tetsunojo, renowned Noh master and film/TV star. Nomura Manasai and his seven-year-old son will play “Igui”, roles said to have been played by Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Maeda Toshii. Many acclaimed Noh masters will perform at this event.
 
©Tessen-kai pictured (standing):Fumiyoshi Asahi ©Shinji Masakawa Pictured from left: Mansaku Nomura, Yuki Nomura, Mannosuke Nomura
Past Events
Opera “Curlew River” by Benjamin Britten April 12th -14th
This opera, written by British composer Benjamin Britten, is based on the classic Noh play “Sumidagawa”. This opera features an international cast from the UK, France and the U.S. Internationally-acclaimed Paris-based director/actor Yoshi Oida directed with musical director/conductor David Stern, son of Isaac Stern and principal conductor of Opera Fuoco in Paris. Mr. Oida centers his activity in Paris, and his work “Actor Adrift (Methuen, 1993)” and “The Invisible Actor (Methuen, 1997)” were translated into several languages and are enjoyed by aspiring actors.
 
Mr. Oida and Ambassador Sakurai
©heka
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