Japanese theatre performance in Barcelona: «Noh Reimagined»
As part of the Catalunya-Japó Year, we present this unique encounter between two artistic universes: the classical Japanese Noh theatre and the music of the Catalan composer Frederic Mompou, in a proposal that unites tradition and contemporaneity through a unique stage experience.
The program combines Noh Matsukaze (Zeami Motokiyo, s. XIV), one of the great masterpieces of this performing art, with piano pieces performed by Yoko Suzuki. Both proposals explore shared themes such as silence, nature, memory, and contained emotion.
Program
Frederic Mompou
Quiet Music I, Impressions íntimes I–IV, Landscapes: The Fountain and the Bell, Suburbis: The Carrer, the Guitarist and the Old Cavall, Cançó i Dansa VII, Cançó i Dansa IX
Piano: Yoko Suzuki
Noh Dance: Kanji Shimizu
Matsukaze (Wind Among the Pines) by Zeami Motokiyo
Shite (main actor): Kanji Shimizu (Kanze School)
Accompaniment: Jiutai choir, Noh flute (nōkan) and traditional drums
Artists
Yoko Suzuki – Pianist and composer
Trained at Musashino University of Music and the Academy MarShall, has worked with disciples of Alicia de Larrocha and Carmen Bravo (Mompou's widow). In 2019, she received recognition from the Japanese Consulate in Barcelona for her work in cultural exchange.
Kanji Shimizu – Shite (Kanze School)
A renowned Noh performer, he has participated in international tours and collaborates with disciplines such as contemporary theater, dance, and other traditional Asian performing arts. In 2024, he received the prestigious Kanze Hisao Award and is designated an Important Intangible Cultural Asset by the Japanese government.
Takao Nishimura – Jiutai (choir, Kanze School)
Haruhiko Hasegawa – Jiutai (choir, Kanze School)
Satoshi Tsukitaku – Nohkan (Noh flute, Morita School)
Naoya Toriyama – Kotsuzumi (small drum, Kanze School)
Mitsuhiro Kakihara – Ōtsuzumi (large drum, Takayasu School)
About Matsukaze
This Noh drama tells the story of two ghost sisters, Matsukaze and Murasame, former salt gatherers in Suma, who appear under the moonlight as they recall their lost love for the exiled poet Ariwara no Yukihira. Through memory, melancholy, and the symbol of the sacred pine tree (matsu), the play reflects the essence of Noh: the union of the earthly and the spiritual.
The Noh
Recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, Noh combines music, dance, literature, and theater. Its origins date back to the 16th century. XIV, and its foundations were established by Zeami Motokiyo. This performance is part of the Noh Reimagined 2025 festival, which brings traditional Noh closer to contemporary audiences through new collaborations and creations.
More information:
https://noh.muarts.org.uk/what-is-noh/
https://noh.muarts.org.uk/10-things-know-noh/
This collaboration is part of the Program Asia Stage de Casa Asia.
Photo: Gan Gokuraku Images
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