Posts by Staff
“Three Sold-Out Performances in Milan” by Mio Teycheney-Takashiro
Three Sold-Out Performances in Milan
From February 5 through 7, we gave three “Mystery” performances at Triennale Teatro dell’Arte in Milan, Italy. Thanks to their wonderful support, all three performances welcomed full houses!
Many of the venues on our Europe tour are concert halls, so the members were excited to perform in Milan at the first regular proscenium theater of this tour. People of all ages came to see us in Milan and I think they all enjoyed the “Mystery” production and the energy in our performance.
We received these homemade ginger cookies from a local taiko group. Thank you very much!
The Milan concerts were our first full-house performances of the 2016 tour, so to celebrate we gave red “full-house” envelopes with Japanese postage stamps inside them to the presenter, Change Performing Arts, and the theater staff. (It’s a Japanese tradition.)
We are already looking forward to our next chance to visit Italy again!
Mio Teycheney-Takashiro, Kodo International Tour Manager
Jan.–Mar. 2016 “Kodo One Earth Tour 2016: Mystery” Europe Tour
Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Russia
“Europe Tour Opening Night in Brussels!” by Mio Teycheney-Takashiro
We held the first performance of “Kodo One Earth Tour 2016: Mystery” at BOZAR in Brussels, Belgium.
We were greeted by a huge audience, nearly a full house, and they gave us a wonderful welcome gift: a standing ovation!
We look forward to the two months many performances ahead in nine more countries. We hope you will come and see us somewhere!
Mio Teycheney-Takashiro, Kodo International Tour Manager
Jan.–Mar. 2016 “Kodo One Earth Tour 2016: Mystery” Europe Tour
Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Russia
“‘Mystery’ Sets off for Europe!” by Yui Kawamoto
“Mystery” Sets off for Europe!
As a “once-in-a-decade” blizzard passes by here on Sado Island, the cast and staff for “Mystery” have set off on tour!
This two-month Europe tour will consist of 32 performances in 10 countries.
Please come and experience the world of “Mystery” with Kodo in the unique European atmosphere. You won’t want to miss this production!
Farewell, everyone! And good luck!
Bon voyage!
Jan.–Mar. 2016 “Kodo One Earth Tour 2016: Mystery” Europe Tour
Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Russia
“Collaborations with Suar Agung in Bali” by Ryoko Iwamoto
Nov. 23, 2015
Collaborations with Suar Agung in Bali
Kodo and Suar Agung have enjoyed exchange and collaborations together since 1984 in Japan and this year marks our first collaborations with them in Bali, Indonesia. Our performance in Negara, where Suar Agung is based, welcomed an audience of around 600 people. Many of them were local families and there were also Japanese people who live in Bali and from other islands in Indonesia.
The first half of the concert featured Suar Agung and Indonesian dance. Seeing the dancers dance down the stairs of the temple was so exotic! Some of the moves were humorous, too, so I enjoyed seeing their wide array of expressions.
Kodo performed in the second half and we also received a lot of cheers and applause. The audience in Bali hummed along to our music, smiled, and really showed us that they were enjoying our performance. Their obvious pleasure made the Kodo members smile so much on stage.
On Nov. 24 we have another performance in Denpasar. It will be over 30 degrees there. We will do our very best!
Nov. 22 (Mon) & 24 (Tue), 2015 “Project Connect Asia with Traditional Performing Arts” Kodo & Suar Agung Collaboration (Bali, Indonesia)
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20151122bali_en.html
“Opening Performance of New Production ‘Chaos'” by Nobuyuki Nishimura
Opening Performance of New Production “Chaos”
After four years of ideas and creation, at long last we held the premiere of “Chaos.” The first performance here on Sado Island, where Kodo is based, precedes a nationwide tour with this new work. On Sado, there are many people who have watched Kodo for decades since the very beginning, so when we present new programmes here we are nervous to see if they will be accepting of our latest work. We set up in the theater, add lighting to the new production, and welcome its first audience. I have come to realize that as the performance begins, I find myself thinking about the next production as I watch it. I wonder how far we can broaden the scope of the Kodo group. When I think about the possibilities, I get excited and know I will lose sleep for days with that on my mind.
▶About “Kodo One Earth Tour: Chaos”
“Tetsuya Kajiwara’s Lecture on Drums” by Nobuyuki Nishimura
Tetsuya Kajiwara’s Lecture on Drums
Tetsuya Kajiwara, the drum supervisor for our upcoming “Chaos” production, gave our performers a lecture about drums in the rehearsal hall yesterday.
He taught them how he set up the drums when he played with his former band, “The Blue Hearts,” and the members learned how to handle the various parts. This knowledge will help them throughout the “Chaos” performances.
Our opening night on Sado Island is approaching quickly!
▶About “Kodo One Earth Tour: Chaos”
“Successful ‘DADAN’ Performances in Hong Kong” by Mio Teycheney-Takashiro
Kodo gave performances of “DADAN” at Sha Tin Town Hall in Hong Kong on the 30th and 31st of October.
We were very happy with the response to both our sold-out performances, which were a great success.
We would like to offer our sincere thanks to the audiences, the presenter, our agent, and all the local staff.
We will definitely come back to Hong Kong again!
Kodo “DADAN 2015″ Hong Kong Performances
Oct. 30 (Fri) & 31 (Sat), 2015 Sha Tin Town Hall, Hong Kong SAR, China
“Huge Surprise Kodo Reunion at the Port!” by Narumi Matsuda
I found myself heading back to Sado Island on the same ferry as the “Kaguyahime” members on their way back from Canada, the “DADAN” members returning from Hong Kong, Chieko who was in Australia, and Eiichi who had been in Tokyo leading workshops!
I was on my way home from a business trip to Nagano when I ran into everyone at the port, so I had traveled the least distance of everyone. I hadn’t seen some of the members in two months, so we talked about our travels as we boarded the ferry. Now that all the fall tours have come to an end, we’ll all be back on Sado Island together for a while.
“The Finale of ‘Kaguyahime'” by Yui Kawamoto
The Finale of “Kaguyahime”
The “Kaguyahime” performance series in Montreal has come to an end!
I’m calling this just a temporary goodbye to all the cast, including Les Grands Ballets, who we have worked with since 2012.
Looking forward to seeing you all again, somewhere in the world!
To everyone who attended the performance, the wonderfully talented cast members, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal who invited us to be a part of this beautiful program:
Thank you very much for a magical time!
Ballet Performance “Kaguyahime: The Moon Princess”
Oct. 15 (Thu)–30 (Fri), 2015 Montreal, Canada
http://www.kodo.or.jp/news/20151015kaguyahime_en.html
Kodo Cast: Masaru Tsuji, Kenta Nakagome, Eri Uchida, Maya Minowa, Yuta Sumiyoshi, Tetsumi Hanaoka, Ryosuke Inada
(Photo: Damian Siqueiros / Dancers: Jerimy Rivera & Edi Blloshmi)
“Meet-the-Press Session for Hong Kong ‘DADAN 2015′” by Mio Teycheney-Takashiro
Oct. 29, 2015
Meet-the-Press Session for Hong Kong “DADAN 2015”
Our second day in Hong Kong began with preparations at the venue, and then we took part in a “Meet-the-Press” session this afternoon.
Our performance tomorrow will be Kodo’s first one in Hong Kong since 1986. That’s 29 years ago!
The performers will all do their best on stage in the hopes that each audience member will feel the powerful energy of “DADAN” resonate throughout their entire body.
Kodo “DADAN 2015” Hong Kong Performances
Oct. 30 (Fri) & 31 (Sat), 2015 Sha Tin Town Hall, Hong Kong SAR, China