Bunraku is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka at the beginning of the seventeenth century and still performed today. A bunraku performance draws on three kinds of performers, the ningyotsukai or ningyozukai puppeteers, the tayu chanters and shamisen musicians, occasionally joined by other instruments such as taiko drums; the combination of chanting and shamisen playing is called joruri, and ningyo is the Japanese word for puppet.
Facts
Place of OriginJapan; bunraku puppet theatre was founded in Osaka at the beginning of the seventeenth century. 1 Notable ExampleThe Love Suicides at Sonezaki (Sonezaki Shinju, 1703), Chikamatsu Monzaemon's landmark bunraku puppet play. 2 Defining TraitA bunraku performance combines three kinds of performers on stage together: puppeteers who operate the large puppets, a chanter who narrates and voices every role, and a shamisen musician. 1 FAQs
How many puppeteers does it take to operate one bunraku puppet?
Three: a main puppeteer, a left puppeteer and a foot puppeteer.
Three puppeteers work together on a puppet. The main puppeteer controls the puppet's head and right hand, the left puppeteer controls the left hand, and a third puppeteer operates the feet and legs. Training begins with the feet, then moves to the left hand, before a puppeteer can train as the main puppeteer.
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Source Bunraku (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Bunraku (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Lead section
a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka in the beginning of the 17th century
Performers section
Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance: the Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai (puppeteers), the tayū (chanters), and shamisen musicians.
View the Source 2. Chikamatsu Monzaemon (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Major works, Joruri sectionQuote, Major works, Joruri section
The Love Suicides at Sonezaki (Sonezaki shinjū 曾根崎心中) (1703)
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