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Laman Ismayilova

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Japanese theatre art brilliantly demonstrates the country's deep-rooted cultural traditions and its commitment to artistic expression.

Whether it is Kabuki, Bunraku, or Noh, these theatre forms continue to enchant audiences with their majesty and depth.

Hōshō Theatre School's Opera No has totally captivated the culture and art enthusiasts at the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azernews reports.

Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century.

With a history spanning over 700 years, Noh theatre is regarded as one of the oldest forms of classical Japanese performing arts. It is based on artistic works and comedic scenes, combining costumed dances.

This art form has gained worldwide acclaim for its high level of performance and is included in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Prior to the theatrical performance, director of the Hōshō Theatre School, Kazufusa Hōshō, shared the history of Noh theatre with local media.

He emphasised that this kind of production was being presented on the Azerbaijani stage for the first time.

"It is a great honour for our theatre to perform for the first time in Azerbaijan, where I am also visiting for the first time. Despite this fact, I see a similarity between our countries - Japan and Azerbaijan - primarily due to the Great Silk Road. Azerbaijan is known as the Land of Fire, and fire plays an important role in Japanese culture. Moreover, Japan is known worldwide as the Land of the Rising Sun," said Kazufusa Hōshō.

The "Opera No" consisted of three parts. The stage presented the Raku dance and revealed the secret of true happiness through prayers to the goddess of happiness. A special place in the production was given to the Divine Sword-katana - the Japanese sword of the samurai, known for its long, slightly curved blade and hilt.

Noh performances are accompanied by the playing of flutes and drums, setting a unique rhythm to the stage action.

The style of music performed is called gagaku. All elements of the Noh theatre- costumes, masks, gestures, movements, and intonations have symbolic significance and are linked to ritual actions.

Noh theatre art brings emotional comfort, inspiring people to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle.

The Noh Theatre is a fascinating world where nothing is superfluous and where every movement and detail carries deep meaning.

The performances by the theatre artists were met with prolonged applause from the audience.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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