Program I (from 11:00 AM)
SHICHI FUKUJIN TAKARA NO IRIFUNE 【The Seven Lucky Gods】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Mark Oshima
A treasure boat with the seven lucky gods is one of the most familiar symbols of good fortune. This short dance features all the gods, including the beautiful goddess Benten, Fukurokuju with his extremely long head, Hotei with his enormous belly and Ebisu with his fishing pole and fish.
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI
【Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Bonnie Dixon
This is one section of a very long play about Sugawara no Michizane (known in this play as Kanshojo), a high-ranking imperial court minister who was a brilliant calligrapher and scholar. But political rivalries forced him to be exiled to distant Kyushu, where he died. But after Michizane’s death, he became revered as the god of learning. The play also focuses on three brothers, Matsuomaru, Umeomaru and Sakuramaru who are forced to be on different sides of this political rivalry, bringing tragedy.
Shiratayu has long served Kanshojo and when he had three sons, he named them after the favorite trees in his garden, the pine, the plum and the cherry and had them all take service with important court nobles. However, the three lords of his sons have all been torn to separate sides. Today is Shiratayu's birthday and all three sons are to come. Chiyo, Matsuomaru's wife, Haru, Umeomaru's wife and Yae, Sakuramaru’s wife, all prepare festive food for the happy event. Since the brothers haven't arrived yet, Shiratayu goes away with Yae to a shrine to pray. Matsuomaru and Umeomaru appear and immediately start wrestling with each other, almost like mischievous children. They accidentally break the branches of the cherry tree, an omen prefiguring the tragic second half of the act, in which Sakuramaru commits ritual suicide to atone for being responsible for Kanshojo's exile.
SANJUSANGENDO MUNAGI NO YURAI
【The Willow Ridgepole of Sanjusangendo Temple】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Faith Bach
Sanjusangendo Temple with its enormous hall thirty-three ken long filled with Buddhist images is one of the familiar tourist sights of Kyoto. This play tells the legend of the willow tree that forms the long ridgepole of the hall. Originally written for the Bunraku puppet Theatre, this play is still frequently performed there and is famous for the worksong that makes the willow tree move at the end.
Program II (from 4:00 PM):
YOSHITSUNE SENBON ZAKURA 【Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Bonnie Dixon
In this section from a long play, Yoshitsune is rescued by his loyal retainer Tadanobu, which is actually a magical fox that has taken the guise of Tadanobu in order to get close to a precious drum made from the skins of his fox parents. But his mysterious activities throw suspicion on the real Tadanobu and finally the fox reveals his true identity. In the end, he flies away joyously when he receives the drum.
TSUBOSAKA KANNON REIGENKI 【The Miracle at Tsubosaka】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Faith Bach
This very late Bunraku play is famous for its shamisen music and for the way that it returns to the roots of puppet Theatre in tales of Buddhist miracles. Sawaichi, a blind masseur laments being a burden on his loving wife and tries to commit suicide, but is saved by the miraculous help of the merciful Kannon.
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