Russian tour of the Kabuki Theatre
One of the core events of the 2018 Year of Japan in Russia is the tour of Shochiku Grand Kabuki - Chikamatsuza. The performances are on September 9-15 (Moscow, Mossovet Theatre), September 19-22 (St. Petersburg, Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre). The tour is made possible by the support of the Government of Japan.
The Shochiku Grand Kabuki - Chikamatsuza , is one of the most renowned kabuki troupes. The Japanese theatre kabuki originated in the 17thcentury and preserves ancient traditions. The modern audience is not looking for a "consonance to the modern times"in Kabuki performances. We enjoy the art as such and appreciate the craft of acting, brought here to the highest limits of perfection. Preparation of the kabuki actor (it starts from early childhood, as a rule, in the theater under the mentorship of one of the Masters) includes not only mastering the stage movement and stage speech. Trained kabuki actor must also be able to dance, fence with a sword and spear, apply elements of acrobatics, and possess special ways of voice usage. The manner of wearing the suit, the ability to correctly choose its color, and the art of makeup are also of pivotal importance.
Kabuki troupes rarely travel outside of Japan. The first foreign tour in the history of kabuki was to Moscow and Leningrad in 1928. The current tour is paying homage to the 90th anniversary of this remarkable event.
The tour is presented in Russia by the Chekhov International Theatre Festival with the additional support of the Moscow City Department of Culture. In St. Petersburg the tour is co-presented with the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre.
