ANCIENT COURT MUSIC AND DANCE

KASUGA BUGAKU

On the occasion of the centenary of the Amsterdam
Stadsschouwburg, the Embassy of Japan organized two
performances of Kasuga Bugaku from Nara, the ancient capital
of Japan. These were performed by the Gagaku and Bugaku
ensemble on September 4 and 5. Bugaku is seldom performed
outside Japan.
Bugaku is one of the most classic forms of the performing arts
of Japan. Its rudimentary form of music and dance originated
in China during the Sui and Tang dynasties, incorporating
music and dance from Central Asia and India. It was introduced
into Japan between the 5th and 7th centuries and developed and
refined as Bugaku during the Heian Period, (8th to 12th
centuries) when this music and dance was used mainly in
ceremonies and memorial services at the Imperial Court, Shinto
shrines, and Buddhist temples. In the millennium which
followed, most of Bugaku's original form was preserved as each
generation passed this time-honoured art form on to the next.
In 1870, during the Meiji Restoration, Kasuga Bugaku joined
two related organizations to form an authentic music
institution known today as the Imperial Court Music Department
of Japan. Accordingly the main feature of Bugaku is solemnity
and elegance, nurtured throughout its long history.
The performance was enthusiastically greeted by the audience.