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15^th Meguro City International Exchange Forum

Sponsor: Meguro Board of Education　Organizer: Meguro UNESCO Association

February 24, 2003　Meguro Persimmon Hall (Small Hall)

　　

"What Is Bunraku?" by Shizuo Goto from the National Bunraku Theater

"What Is Gidayu-bushi?"

　　The Role of Tayu by TAKEMOTO Tsukunidayu from Bunraku Association

　　The Role of Shamisen by NOZAWA Kiichiro from Bunraku Association

Demonstrations: (Male Expression) "Utanosuke's Urgent Report" from the DOMOMATA scene of the play KEISEI HANGONKO

　　　　　　　　　(Female Expression) "Osono's Lament" from the SAKAYA scene of the play HADESUGATA ONNA MAIGINU

　　Joruri Recitation: TAKEMOTO Tsukunidayu

　　Shamisen: NOZAWA Kiichiro

　　Puppet manipulation: YOSHIDA Kosuke and others

"How Is a Puppet Manipulated by Three People?" By YOSHIDA Kosuke (from Bunraku Association), YOSHIDA Tamaka, KIRITAKE Montomi

Interpreter: Mark Oshima

　The stage setting was very simple. On an elevated platform on the right side of the stage, there were two square floor cushions for the shamisen player (Shamisen) and the joruri reciter (Tayu). On the left side of the stage were the microphones for Mr. Goto, the lecturer, and Mr. Oshima, the interpreter. In the middle, a rope was stretched at a height of 84 centimeters between two upright posts, suggestive of a Bunraku stage. No one had expected to be able to witness on this stage, such a glimpse of the profound world of Bunraku!

Explanations and demonstrations included: various stage props for Tayu; the shamisen and the plectrum used for Bunraku; Tayu who, taking charge of the voices of all the characters appearing in a play, narrates the story and even its background. We were also treated to an illustration of the gidayu-shamisen player's dual role: to accompany Tayu's narrative chanting and to get across to the audience the play's emotions through music. The way the three puppeteers exhibited their fine teamwork was complemented by an explanation of the structure and mechanism of the puppets. Although the female puppet has no legs and a Noh mask-like face, in skillful hands, the puppet has a charm as though it is human. The beautifully stylized movement of a female puppet looking back over her shoulder to give her full appearance from the back, is a movement no one but a puppet can perform. What we saw and learned certainly constituted the "Great Encyclopedia of Bunraku".

　The eagerness of the people on the stage to convey their message and the will of the audience to accept it, interacted in harmony. We felt that we were having a very fruitful exchange forum. We received people from over twelve countries, and the excellent English explanation by Mark Oshima, the interpreter, enriched its content. The two hours with no intermission seemed quite short, and we enjoyed ourselves, happy and contented.

　

　This year's international exchange forum was the fifteenth annual event. So far we have introduced Japanese culture twelve times. Every year we really wonder what to choose for the next forum. At the National Convention of UNESCO last year we learned that Bunraku would be designated by UNESCO as a "masterpiece of heritage", and so we decided that we should take up Bunraku! As a measure to preserve the world's intangible cultural heritages, UNESCO issued in 2001 its "Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". The aim is to pass on and develop traditional cultures that have exceptional values from various aspects, including history, art, folklore, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, and literature. From Japan, Nogaku Theater was selected as one of the masterpieces at the first proclamation, and Bunraku Theater is now one of the candidates to be selected this year. We are currently awaiting the second proclamation. Meguro UNESCO, who introduced "Noh of the Kita School" last year, thought that this year we should introduce Bunraku, and asked the National Bunraku Theater to kindly cooperate with us. Thanks to the National Bunraku Theater in Osaka and the National Theater of Japan in Tokyo we were able to present this program. Although it was scheduled for a Monday evening, an inconvenient day for many people, we received over 300 applications, far exceeding the seating capacity of 200, and we regrettably had to turn down many of them. What will be on next year in this popular series? Don't miss it!

　　　　(Reporter: Fumiko Harada　　Photographer: Noboru Mochizuki)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The next Bunraku Theater performance is scheduled for May 10 (Sat.)〜25 (Sun.) at the National Theater of Japan in Tokyo (Small Hall). YOSHIDA Minotaro will make an oral statement announcing his succession to the stage name of KIRITAKE Kanjuro the Third. For tickets call 03-3230-3000 on and after April 6.

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