Lecture Demonstration: National Bunraku Theater [New Location]

Monday, September 30, 2024 at 12:00pm
Crowell Concert Hall

Free and open to the public

A very rare opportunity to experience traditional Japanese bunraku puppet theater up close with the National Theatre from Osaka, Japan.

The group's Connecticut debut will be co-presented by Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts and Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

One of Japan’s foremost traditional stage arts, bunraku puppet theater (ningyō jōruri) blends sung narrative, instrumental accompaniment, and puppet drama in a highly synchronized performance.

This fall, for the first time in nearly two decades, the National Theatre is returning to the United States, and Wesleyan is honored to host this lecture demonstration. Puppeteers and musicians will share the history of this centuries-old art form, play samples of gidayū music performed with voice and shamisen (three-stringed Japanese lute), and demonstrate the bunraku puppets, which are meticulously crafted at half-life-size and each manipulated by three skilled performers.

On Tuesday, October 1, the National Theatre will perform excerpts from two bunraku plays at Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts. Wesleyan community members may reserve tickets at the Wesleyan University box office website. General public may reserve on the Quick Center box office website.

This lecture demonstration is co-sponsored by Wesleyan’s College of East Asian Studies.