This album presents materials from the Bakhrushin Theatre Museum collection dedicated to the traditional Japanese Kabuki theatre — one of Japan's most famous theatrical genres, with a centuries-old history of formation and development. It is believed that Kabuki was founded by Okuni, a priestess of the Izumo Shinto shrine. In the early 17th century in Kyoto, she performed the "nembutsu-odori" dance. Over time, her performances became more elaborate: new songs appeared, costumes became more diverse, and elements of dramatic action were added. Okuni was joined by disciples and followers, and the repertoire gradually expanded — from dance numbers to short everyday scenes and episodes based on the plots of Noh theatre. The performances featured musical accompaniment, specifically the playing of the shamisen. This genre became known as "onna-kabuki" (women’s Kabuki). In 1629, female troupes were banned, as the authorities deemed such performances detrimental to public morality and a disruption of public order. They were replaced by troupes of young boys, but these were soon banned as well. As a result, only adult male troupes — known as "yaro-kabuki" — were officially permitted. Yaro-kabuki required serious professional training for actors, including the development of facial expressions and the mastery of dance, acrobatics, stage fencing, and other skills. Gradually, a system of specialized roles was formed, including a unique type of male performer of female roles — the onnagata. In the late 17th century, dedicated theatre buildings began to be constructed, whereas previously, performances had taken place outdoors. Despite their great popularity, actors belonged to the lower social class and were restricted to living in specific theatre districts. Plays for Kabuki theatre were typically created by in-house playwrights. However, actors were granted a degree of freedom in interpreting their roles. The modern Kabuki repertoire includes three main types of plays: historical dramas (jidai-mono), domestic plays (sewa-mono), and dance-drama productions (shosagoto). One of the most recognizable features of the theatre is the vivid makeup (kumadori), in which every color and line carries symbolic meaning and emphasises the character's personality. Today, while Kabuki no longer reflects the everyday problems of modern life as it did in its early stages, it remains a symbol of Japanese culture and an embodiment of supreme acting craftsmanship. The materials in this album primarily focus on the first tour of the Kabuki theatre in the USSR in 1928. The performances took place in Moscow and Leningrad as part of the Japanese-Soviet cultural rapprochement. Plays such as "The 47 Ronin" were performed, alongside dance pieces like "The Heron Maiden" (“Sagi Musume”). Additionally, the album includes sketches of actors' makeup and other materials reflecting the theatre's activities.

02.06.2026