LAS VEGAS, Aug. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The
traditional Japanese art form of Kabuki will debut on the Las Vegas
Strip tonight in a never-before-seen spectacle at Bellagio that
will run August 14-16.
Larger-than-life animations and stunning water choreography will
deliver an extraordinary rendition of Kabuki masterpiece
Koi-Tsukami, or "Fight with a Carp," as an enormous fish and
turbulent sea are projected onto the Fountains of Bellagio in an
epic battle scene.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7596551-mgm-bellagio-kabuki-fight-with-a-carp/
In a classic tale of good versus evil, renowned Japanese
actor Ichikawa Somegoro will play a handsome samurai who falls
in love with a beautiful maiden – depicted by fellow Kabuki
actor Nakamura Yonekichi – only to discover she is actually a
giant carp's spirit taking the form of a woman to seek revenge
against humans for killing her carp lover. The 30-minute production
culminates with a dramatic clash between Somegoro and the carp from
an impressive 165-foot stage constructed on Lake Bellagio.
Shochiku, the world's premier Kabuki producer and global
ambassador – with artistic partners Panasonic, teamLab and WET and
support from MGM Resorts International – aims to raise worldwide
awareness for the art by orchestrating an elaborate, high-tech
performance unlike anything Las
Vegas and traditional Kabuki have ever seen. Water screen
projection by Japanese artists and masterminds teamLab, Panasonic's
state-of-the-art digital technology and spectacular water effects
by WET bring the historic Japanese narrative to life in a
Vegas-style production.
"We are honored to collaborate with Shochiku to present Kabuki
in Las Vegas," said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts
International. "The Kabuki Spectacle is the largest-scale
production ever seen on the Fountains of Bellagio, and we are
thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the celebration of
this Japanese cultural tradition on the Las Vegas Strip."
Jay Sakomoto, President and CEO
of Shochiku Co., Ltd., stated, "To be able to realize this new
effort as Shochiku welcomes its 120th anniversary is
extremely meaningful for us. As the one and only producer and
exhibitor of Kabuki, we are dedicated to communicating Kabuki and
other aspects of Japanese culture to the world, as well as
preserving the traditions of Kabuki. We are excited to present this
vast and new Kabuki performance with collaborations of Japanese
music and cutting-edge video projections on water fountains in a
never-before-seen scale, with Kabuki stars Ichikawa Somegoro and
Nakamura Yonekichi."
The full Kabuki Spectacle performance schedule is as
follows:
- August 14: 9:15 p.m.
- August 15: 9:15 p.m. & 11:30
p.m.
- August 16: 9:15 p.m. & 11:30
p.m.
Program Elements:
- Music – New music was composed for this performance and
recorded by musicians in Japan. As
the scene transitions from spring and summer to autumn, the
Fountain will display a sweeping art form in sync with the
beautiful melody of the Shamisen, a Japanese three-stringed musical
instrument. Traditional Takemoto chanting will bring the music to a
dramatic climax for Somegoro's fight scene with the carp.
- Water Screen Projection – teamLab, a group of technology
specialists from various fields of the digital society, will be
projecting delicate yet dynamic CG images on the vast Fountain
screen that are based on original images drawn by Kabuki artists.
The beauty of Kabuki will unfold over Lake Bellagio using teamLab's
digital technology and Panasonic's 3-Chip DLP™ Projector PT-DZ21K,
which realizes a brightness of 20,000 lumens.
- Fountains of Bellagio – The most ambitious,
choreographically complex water feature ever conceived, the
Fountains of Bellagio romance the senses with water, music and
light thoughtfully interwoven by WET to mesmerize spectators. Set
within the 8.5-acre Lake Bellagio, which for the Kabuki Spectacle
will be transformed into Japan's
Lake Biwa, the attraction features a total of 1,214 fountains that
can soar to 460 feet and span more than 1,000 feet.
The Kabuki Spectacle is part of MGM Resorts' larger commitment
to celebrating Japanese culture and the arts, which also includes a
recently debuted art installation at Bellagio by renowned sculptor
Masatoshi Izumi and the first-ever
Japanese-inspired display at Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical
Gardens.
ABOUT
BELLAGIO
Inspired by the beautiful villages of Europe, the AAA Five Diamond Bellagio
overlooks a Mediterranean-blue, 8 ½-acre lake in which fountains
perform a magnificent aquatic ballet. Award-winning dining, a
world-class art gallery, the exquisite Conservatory & Botanical
Gardens, the stunning performance of "O," by Cirque du Soleil, a
sumptuous spa and salon and exclusive luxury shopping all work
together to compose the symphony that is Bellagio. Bellagio is a
wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International (NYSE:
MGM).
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SOURCE MGM Resorts International; Shochiku