Two exceptional artisans from Japan will visit UWinnipeg this summer to showcase Noh theatre, one of the world’s oldest forms of theatrical performance.
The Noh Theatre Experience: Lecture and Demonstration, featuring artisans Hideta Kitazawa and Miyoko Yoshiya, will take place on Friday, July 4 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film. The event is free and all are welcome. Please RSVP by Monday, June 30 via online form or by emailing afwarga@outlook.com.
Noh theatre originates in the 14th century. It is a refined, courtly art characterized by subtle movement and minimal dialogue. Noh actors are purposefully restrained in motion, so woodcarvers fashion masks to enable actors to express facial emotions. Carefully chosen and arduously crafted costumes are also essential to the Noh experience.
Kitazawa and Yoshiya will give talks and demonstrate their crafts, making masks and textiles as they relate to Noh Theatre.
“We’re so pleased to welcome these renowned artisans here at UWinnipeg,” said Dr. Ray Silvius, Professor in the Department of Political Science. “It’s been a true collaboration, with support from the University and the involvement of faculty and students from three departments.”
Dr. Silvius said the event is designed to have broad appeal, but will be of particular interest to anyone interested in theatre, Japanese culture and history, and traditional artisanal craft work.
“The exceptional work of our two guests alone and the expertise of our two UWinnipeg presenters—Dr. Newmark and Dr. Gupa—will make for a memorable experience for all who attend,” he said.
About the event
Hideta Kitazawa will discuss the centrality of Noh masks to Noh theatre. Using examples of masks he has created, he will emphasize the relationship of the masks to the characters in a given performance. He will then perform a live demonstration of the technique behind Noh mask-making.
Miyoko Yoshiya will explore the role of fabric, costume, and design in Noh performances, with a particular emphasis on the patterns utilized in costumes and how they correspond to masks to reinforce a performer’s character and identity. She will also demonstrate the technique for dyeing fabric for use in Noh costumes.
UWinnipeg’s Dr. Jeffrey Newmark, East Asian Languages and Cultures/Department of Religion and Culture, and Dr. Dennis Gupa, Department of Theatre and Film, will analyze historical and contemporary Noh Theatre. Dr. Silvius will moderate the event.
About the artisans
Hideta Kitazawa is a wood sculptor and Noh mask-maker based in Tokyo. He learned traditional wood carving of Buddhist and Shinto statuary from his father, Ikkyo Kitazawa, and later studied Noh mask carving. He currently produces classical Noh and Kyogen masks and has been designated a master craftsman by the Tokyo Metropolitan government. Mr. Kitazawa has also created numerous shinsaku (“new”) masks for foreign-language Noh productions, notably those of Theatre Nohgaku, as well as for other Noh-influenced plays. He has given workshops and demonstrations in Japan and internationally. A book on his work, entitled Noh and Kyogen Masks, was published by Prestel in 2024.
After graduating from Aoyama Gakuin Women’s Junior College with a degree in child education, Miyoko Yoshiya worked at a kindergarten. There she began studying textiles on her own. In 1996, she graduated from Otsuka Textile Design College, and in 1997, she began making silk-screened and hand-dyed cloth felt. Since then, she has been making thin, light, and warm fabrics using natural materials, especially silk and wool. From 1998 to 2005, she won many awards at the Japan Creation Textile Contest, including the Excellence Award and the Division Award. Since 2000, she has held numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout Japan. From 1997 to 2014, she was a lecturer at Otsuka Gakuin. She is currently an instructor at Smile Studio TAKANO.
This event has been generously funded by The University of Winnipeg’s Research Office, Dean of Arts Dr. Tracy Whalen, the Arts Faculty office, the Department of Religion and Culture (and Department Chair, Dr. Rory Dickson), and the Department of Political Science (and Department Chair, Dr. Joan Grace). Special thanks are extended to the Department of Theatre and Film for facilitating the demonstration in the Asper Theatre.
