Two shite actors and four Noh musicians presented some of the finest instrumental and dance sections from the classical Noh repertoires, as well as highlights from the masterpiece of Mugen Noh, Izutsu (井筒, ‘The Well Cradle’) by Zeami which is s drawn from the tenth-century ‘Tale of Ise’ (Ise monogatari), Lady Izutsu who was waiting for her adulterous husband to return home, appears as a ghost on the stage, wearing her husband’s garment, and looks into the old well, searching for his reflection in the water.
Photo: Shitong Zhang 
Photo: Shitong Zhang 
Photo: Shitong Zhang
The Noh performers included Yukihiro Isso (nohkan flute), Masaki Umano (shite, main actor), Jiichi Asami (shite, main actor), Kyosuke Tanabe (kotsuzumi, shoulder drum), Mitsuhiro Kakihara (otsuzumi, hip drum) and Kiyoshi Yoshitani (taiko, stick drum).
Listen to BBC Radio 3’s podcast Introducing the Nohkan Flute.
