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Under the artistic direction of the legendary veteran Kabuki artist Tamasaburo Bando, taiko drumming group Kodo will present "Dadan 2015" in late October to provide a fresh take on taiko drumming with innovative staging. Performed by an all-male troupe, the programme summons up immense power from within to push physique, percussion techniques and emotive resonance to the highest realms. It juxtaposes traditional taiko artistry with new motifs, thunderous bombardment and sudden tranquillity to deliver a muscular musical experience that offers a primordial and strikingly touching encounter with the inner self.
"Dadan" was greeted with overwhelming acclaim at its European premiere in 2012. Since then, it has continued to evolve, displaying in each show a pulsating tribute to the timeless call of the taiko drum.
Kodo spends one-third of the year at home on Sado Island and the rest on tour. The group has performed more than 5,500 shows in nearly 50 countries since its establishment in 1981, appearing in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, Sadler's Wells Theatre in London and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Time Out in the UK praised the performance for its "dynamic, electrifying vision", and the Chicago Tribune wrote, "Superlatives don't really exist to convey the primal power and bravura beauty of Kodo."
"Dadan 2015" is one of the programmes of the World Cultures Festival - A Decade of Exquisite Arts. It will be held at 8pm on October 30 and 31 at the Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium.
Tickets priced at $130, $200, $300 and $400 are now available at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and their minders, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Other booking discounts of up to 20 per cent are available.
There will be a foyer performance entitled "The Joy of Taiko" at the Sha Tin Town Hall foyer on October 31 from 3pm to 4pm featuring Hong Kong group OĦDDaiko, providing an all-female perspective on the traditional Japanese instrument. Kodo will make a special guest appearance and showcase the many different possibilities of taiko drumming.
Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the World Cultures Festival 2015 - A Decade of Exquisite Arts will be held from October 16 to November 15, featuring an array of artistic gems from around the globe to showcase rich and diverse cultures in celebration of the festival's 10th anniversary.
Programme brochures are available at URBTIX outlets or at the website www.worldfestival.gov.hk. For programme enquiries, please call 2370 1044.
Internet bookings can be made at www.urbtix.hk. Credit card telephone bookings can be made on 2111 5999.
Ends/Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:45
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