Our program will feature five shorter performances that will be prefaced by instruction from the company. Following the presentations, we invite you to join us for a reception where you can meet the performers and see the costumes, masks, and instruments up close.

1. Dance from the Noh Kantan

A young man name Rosei, who has left his home to seek enlightenment, stops at an inn where the innkeeper invites him to sleep on the miraculous Pillow of Kantan. In his ensuing dream, the young man is appointed the emperor of China and lives a life of unrivaled splendor

2. Otoko-mai Instrumental Dance featuring nohkan flute, kotsuzumi shoulder drum, and Ōtsuzumi hip drum

Instrumental dances are an important component of many noh. The otoko-mai (literally, “man dance”), with its upbeat tempo, is usually performed in plays belonging to the Warrior category.

3. Excerpt from the Noh Sumidagawa (Sumida River)

One of the most poignant pieces in the noh repertory, Sumida River depicts the grief of a widowed woman driven mad when her son is stolen by slave traders.

4. Tama no Dan (Jewel Section) from the Noh Ama (The Diver)

The ghost of a rustic diver recounts the agreement she made with her lover, a court noble, to retrieve a jewel that was stolen by the Dragon King and locked away in a tower under the sea. In exchange for the jewel, the noble agrees to confer an aristocratic title on their son despite his common heritage.

5. Celebratory Excerpt from the Noh Takasago (Takasago)

This brief excerpt is often chanted at celebrations such as weddings or as a concluding coda for auspicious performances.

Text: (Translated by David Crandall)

The Dance of a Thousand Autumns

     comforts the people

The Dance of Ten Thousand Years

     extends our lives

Wind rustling through paired pines

     raises voices of joy

Yes, rustling voices bring us joy!