3 generations of Kyogen masters present 3/11 tribute work in Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, April 24 (CNA) Three generations of Japan's renowned Nomura family of Kyogen are scheduled to perform in Kaohsiung with actor Mansai Nomura in a work dedicated to victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The performances, staged by the Mansaku-no-Kai Kyogen Co. at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), include four shows starting Friday, featuring performers in their 20s, 60s and 90s to showcase different stages of mastery in the traditional art form, the artists said.

Kyogen is a classical Japanese comic theater with a history of more than 600 years. It uses exaggerated movements, rhythmic speech and symbolic gestures to portray everyday life and folk stories with humor and satire.

At a press event Friday, 95-year-old Mansaku Nomura, a Living National Treasure of Japan, demonstrated excerpts from "Tsukimi Zato" (The Moon-Viewing Blindman), which depicts how a blind man experiences the moon through sounds such as those of insects.

Mansai described his father's performance as "aged wine," reflecting refinement over time, while his son represents "new wine," full of potential. "As for myself, I am somewhere in between, more like a manager," he said.

Another highlight of the program is "Mansai Boléro," a 17-minute dance work created and performed by Mansai. The piece blends Maurice Ravel's "Boléro" with a traditional Kyogen dance to depict the cycle of life from seed to growth and renewal.

Mansai said the work was originally created to honor victims of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and to reflect on recovery and rebirth. He also expressed gratitude for Taiwan's support following the disaster.

Mansai, who is performing in Kaohsiung for the third time, said he has been impressed with local audiences, adding that they often react "even before the subtitles appear," which he described as deeply rewarding.