New and Traditional Noh: Holy Mother in Nagasaki & Kiyotsune

New and Traditional Noh:
Holy Mother in Nagasaki & Kiyotsune
Thursday, May 14, 7:30 PM
Friday, May 15, 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 16, 7:30 PM
Explore Japan’s time-honored noh theater in a rare double bill that offers plays from the modern and traditional repertories. The evening features the poignant new play Holy Mother in Nagasaki, in which a pilgrim learns about the legend of a woman, surmised to have been the Virgin Mary, who appeared to console the victims of the atomic bomb. Kiyotsune, one of Zeami’s (1363?-1443?) masterpieces, is offered as a companion piece. This centuries-old noh play tells the story of a grieving widow who meets her warrior husband in a dream to learn of his final battle. Performed in Japanese with English subtitles.
Led by noh actor Kanji Shimizu; Featuring members of the Church of St. Francis Xavier Choir, New York; Presented in assistance with Tessen-kai Noh Theater Association.
At 6:30 pm each night there will be a Pre-Performance Lecture led by Dr. Tom Hare, Professor of Comparative Literature at Princeton University. Free and open to ticket holders only.
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Stories from the War
Marking the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, Japan Society presents the Society-wide series Stories from the War. Encompassing theater performances, film screenings, lectures, panels and educational opportunities for young people, programming from January to August explores history and considers challenging issues that the U.S. and Japan faced surrounding WWII through a contemporary lens.