Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the fourteenth century, making it Japan's oldest major theatrical art still regularly performed today. Noh plays are typically based on tales from traditional literature featuring a supernatural being transformed into a human hero who narrates the story, and the form integrates masks, costumes and stage properties within a dance-based performance requiring highly trained actors and musicians. Emotion is conveyed chiefly through stylized, conventional gestures, while the tradition's iconic masks represent specific roles such as ghosts, women, deities and demons, and the whole art is highly codified and regulated by the iemoto system of hereditary schools, emphasizing tradition over innovation. The broader category nogaku encompasses both Noh and the comic kyogen plays traditionally interspersed between Noh plays in a full program, though today an abbreviated program of two Noh plays with one kyogen piece is more common.
Facts
Place of OriginJapan, where Noh developed out of the earlier sarugaku performance tradition in the mid-fourteenth century. 1 Notable ExampleMatsukaze (The Wind in the Pines), a third-category woman's-mode Noh play by Kan'ami, later revised by Zeami Motokiyo. 2 Defining TraitEmotion in Noh is conveyed mainly through stylized, conventional gesture rather than facial expression, with the tradition's iconic masks representing fixed roles such as ghosts, women, deities and demons. 1 Defining Trait FAQs
What did Noh develop out of?
It originated from sarugaku in the mid fourteenth century.
Noh originated from sarugaku, growing out of that tradition in the mid fourteenth century.
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Source Noh (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Noh (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Lead section
Noh refers to the historical genre of theatre that originated from sarugaku in the mid 14th century
Characteristics section
Emotions are primarily conveyed by stylized conventional gestures while the iconic masks represent specific roles such as ghosts, women, deities, and demons.
Lead paragraph
performed since the 14th century
Lead paragraph, defining sentence
Noh (能, Nō; Japanese pronunciation: [nó̞ò̞, nò̞ó̞, nó̞ó̞], Sino-Japanese for "ability") is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century.
View the Source 2. Matsukaze (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Lead sentenceQuote, Lead sentence
Matsukaze (松風, Wind in the Pines) is a play of the third category, the woman's mode, by Kan'ami, revised by Zeami Motokiyo.
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