Before the great 2020 Coronavirus Lockdown began … I had lots of fun activities!
I wrote an essay for the catalogue of the V & A’s splendid exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk on Geisha: Perpetuating the Kimono Mystique. It’s a beautiful book and a good fat read for quiet days! I was also lucky enough to attend the splendid opening party for the exhibition.
I also went to see English National Opera’s revival of Anthony Minghella’s spectacularly cinematic production of Madame Butterfly, now very sadly postponed …
And took part in a panel on Madam Butterfly, hosted by the broadcaster and classical music buff Sarah Lenton, along with the conductor, Martin Fitzpatrick, Staff Director Ruth Knight, and the Artistic Director of Blind Summit, Mark Down. I spoke on geisha, the temporary ‘marriages’ which foreign men arranged in Japanese ports (like Madam Butterfly’s marriage to Pinkerton) and of course on Madame Sadayakko, the wonderful geisha and actress who was Puccini’s model for Madame Butterfly.
Of course the puppet was the star!
Here are some pictures by photographer Ellie Kurttz.
And – most exciting of all – I was up in Leeds for the World Premiere of Kenneth Tindall’s ballet Geisha, of which I am the historical consultant. I was very proud and honoured to be called up on stage at the end to take a bow alongside Kenny (Kenneth Tindall), superlative screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes, brilliant composer Alexandra Harwood and the brilliant dancers of the Northern Ballet company.
It’s an extraordinary and beautiful production and very Japanese in flavour. I’ve been thrilled to watch it developing and to see the dancers in rehearsal.
The reviews have been ecstatic:
‘Kenneth Tindall’s Geisha is a thing of painful beauty. … Tindall’s marvellous choreography is flecked with Japanese references, while Alex Harwood’s superb score makes room for lovely moments of Japanese percussion and flute.’