Wazzup Pilipinas!?
Japanese Noh Masters Come to Manila for Philippine-Japan Cultural Collaboration
Date & Time (UP Theater): 3:00 p.m., December 6 and 7
Date & Time (Carlos P. Romulo Hall, RCBC Plaza, Ayala): 6:30 p.m., December 9
Quezon City, Philippines — In celebration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, the University of the Philippines Center for International Studies (UPCIS), in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines and The Japan Foundation, Manila, presents the 2026 Noh Performances Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Philippines-Japan Diplomatic Relations. The cultural collaboration brings Japanese Noh grand masters and Filipino Noh practitioners together through a year-long program of training and artistic exchange that will culminate in three Filipinoh performances.
As part of the project's August phase, Noh Grand Masters Yasunori Umewaka (Umewaka Chozaemon) and Shigeji Ōmura return to Manila for intensive training and rehearsals with the UPCIS Noh Ensemble. On August 24, members of the media will be shown a special 30-minute press preview of Ranshō: Paglusong sa Sigwa (Soaring Through the Storm) in full Noh costume, followed by a press conference with the artists and project representatives.
Inspired by the popular mecha beloved by Filipinos, Ranshō: Paglusong sa Sigwa (Soaring Through the Storm) is an original FilipiNoh production that brings the centuries-old Japanese theatrical tradition into dialogue with Philippine history and cultural memory. The work explores recurring struggles for freedom, democracy, and national renewal through the distinctive movement, music, and performance conventions of Noh. This long-running collaboration between Japanese Noh grand masters and the UPCIS Noh Ensemble began in 2006 with the staging of the Filipinoh productions Okina and Dance of Sisa for the 50th anniversary of Philippines-Japan diplomatic relations. For the commemoration of the 60th anniversary in 2016, the collaboration also staged Cedula sa BGC: Isang Kontemporanyong Noh, another FilipiNoh production exploring the life and revolutionary role of Andres Bonifacio.
The press preview will feature two Noh grand masters. Noh Grand Master Umewaka of the Kanze school specializes in shite (principal) roles and is a member of the Japan Art Academy, while Noh Grand Master Ōmura of the Okura school specializes in the traditional ōtsuzumi drum. Both are recognized as Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property in Japan, a distinction recognizing practitioners entrusted with preserving and transmitting the country's traditional cultural arts.
For the 2026 project, intensive training was held in Japan in April, followed by training and workshops at UP Diliman in June. The project will culminate in December 2026, when eight Noh masters from Japan will join the UPCIS Noh Ensemble for three performances of Ranshō: Paglusong sa Sigwa (Soaring Through the Storm). Performances will be held at the UP Theater on December 6 and 7 (3 p.m.), accompanied by a curated exhibition of Edo-period Noh costumes and masks, followed by a final performance on December 9 (6:30 p.m.) at the Carlos P. Romulo Hall, RCBC Plaza in Makati City.
For Reference:
Contact Person: River Rosal
Organization: UP Center for International Studies
Email Address: jbrosal1@up.edu.ph
Mobile Number: +63917 5358390
Website/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/updcis
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
Post a Comment