The expert Richard Emmert will share his knowledge around the NOH theater at the dinner

Alondra Flores Soto

La Jornada newspaper
Tuesday, February 11, 2025, p. 3

The playwright and musician Richard Emmert has cultivated for more than half a century his knowledge as an expert of the NOH theater, Japanese classic scenic art with 650 years old. Together with the assembly and interpretation of works, as well as teaching worldwide, it also promotes renewal with new librettos, for example, one in which Elvis Presley is the protagonist.

The 74 -year -old American creator is in Mexico with two editorial novelties that he will present on February 13 at 5 pm in the Aula Magna of the National Center for the Arts (CENART). In one of them, Intercultural Japanese Noh Theatre, Introduce the NOH, one of the oldest performing arts represented in the world, and includes seven contemporary works written in English by several authors and articles of critics.

In the second book, NOH and Kyogen masks: tradition and modernity in the art of Kitazawa Hideta, Of much larger and careful edition, about 60 wooden masks are shown, beautifully elaborated by the artisan master Kitazawa Hideta, used in the representations as one of the distinctive elements of the NOH style, together with the music, the intonation of the voice and body movements. Almost all works were written between the fourteenth to the 16th centuries. This style creates its worldview with stylistic beauty, technical and skill.

The essence

Richard Emmert was born in Ohio, United States, in 1949. In his youth, Japan visited. As a theater and music student at Earlham University, in Indiana, it was natural to observe this theater that brings together both arts, which happened in 1970.

Emmert’s second visit to Japan, in 1973, extended until today. Today is Professor Emeritus at Musashino University, in Tokyo, and certified instructor and founder of the Nohgaku theater company.

During a long and lively talk, the newcomer from Japan gets up, sings the voice in a serious and melodious way, moves slowly and slides the feet on the floor to answer the question: What is essential in Noh?

The answer is thorough, with conversation paths that come, come and find. Among the numerous characteristics are their shape on stage, with the use of masks, costumes, movement patterns, accompaniment with three drums and a flute (Otsuzumi, Kotsuzumi, Taiko and was), as well as a choir. The actor must be trained in the use of voice and body movement.

With both books on the table, take the most bulky and start showing the pages to tell the story of Kitazawa Hideta, son of a sculptor, who is responsible for making the masks carved in Hinoki wood, a conifer of Japan, known also like him false cypress. The actors tie them to the face to give life to demons, gods, ogros, elders or women, since even recent times were only allowed male actors. There are also some masks for the Kyogen Theater, another genre of humorous cut.

Richard Emmert shows an inspired by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Despite the round cheeks and torn eyes, the continuity of the eyebrows betrays identity. Iracundos demons stand out, others with sardonic faces or gentle female faces. Tradition and renewal are also exposed in the beautiful volume of paper.

Today, in Japan the Noh has about 1,200 professional performers and about 25 thousand fans. In Tokyo there are seven theaters dedicated exclusively to this genre. In a week there are between 10 and 15 functions, but in summer they increase; Although there are hundreds of works, about 250 are more frequently set up.

The importance of this theater style is not only in the texts, but in the form of interpretation. Emmert compares it to the opera, as the libretto gives an incomplete idea, so singing and scene is necessary.

The mask of an adult with wrinkles, amazingly realistic, appears on the cover of the other book, edited by Methuen Drama. Among these pages there are seven works, including St. Francis (1970), the first in which Emmert acted, and Blue Moon Over Memphis (2014), for which Elvis mask, who is the Shite or central figure in the piece.

Another character has the face of Robert Johnson, a blues musician who, according to the legend, sold his soul to the devil in exchange for talent to play the guitar.

Of course, some people are offended by this mood to revive the writing of NOH texts, much more if they are in foreign languages. Others attend these variants. However, almost all representations in theaters and schools are of works written centuries ago.

The English librettos intends to be mounted in the style of the Japanese classic Noh. During the interview, accompanied by the actress, manager and producer Jéssica Gámez, Emmert said they prepare the assembly of a work written in Spanish, with Mexican actors and the playwright itself on stage, singing the dialogues in the language of Cervantes.

After the conversation in which the vocation of a professor, the American expert of the Japanese Noh is hurried for his encounter with a group of actors who take a workshop to learn this scenic art of the East is notorious. Also, during its weeks in Mexico, Kitazawa Hideta will lead a workshop on the masterful art of creating masks.