Kabuki and taiko drumming seem worlds apart: kabuki is a quintessentially urban art form based on nuance and restraint; taiko drumming, from the festival world of matsuri and shrine dances, thrives on athleticism and exuberance. But recently they have been brought together by an unusual collaboration -- "Amaterasu" -- between the famous kabuki onnagata Tamasaburo Bando and the internationally acclaimed taiko drumming group Kodo.
Kodo, which calls Sado Island home, was formed in 1981, debuting the same year at the Berlin Festival. Since then the group has toured the world playing major venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York and the Acropolis in Greece, as well as at high profile events such as the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2002 World Cup in Ja pan. They have collaborated in the past with various musicians, including cellist Yo Yo Ma and Dutch pop band Blof.
Their latest partnership with Tamasaburo started in 2001 when Kodo approached the kabuki actor about producing a performance. The result was 2003's "One Earth Tour," and a lasting relationship that has led to their current project, a retelling of the Japanese myth of Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo.