Women's Gidayu and the Japanese Theatre Tradition (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies) 1st Edition

Women's Gidayu is a traditional form of Japanese musical narrative. This is the first book in English on the subject and it comes with a compact disc of the music.During its three hundred and fifty year history Gidayu has had to cope with the problems imposed by a theatrical culture dominated by men, but has survived and is now receiving greater recognition than ever before. This book introduces the performers, their musical narratives and the politics of their survival within Japanese performing culture. It offers a case study of the continuation of a music within the context of the Tokyo metropolis and provides insights into Japanese theatre traditions, particularly as they reflect notions of gender, culture and society. Accompanying the book is a CD, that gives access to historical recordings of the plays discussed in the text. Read more