Michio Ito's Encounter with Japonism: East-West Joint Productions of 1915/1918

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It was an encounter with Japonism in London that enabled Michio Ito to play the main part in the first performance of At the Hawk's Well by Yeats in April 1916. Although his appearances at Colescum Theatrc in May 1915 Ito got nequainted with Holst who composed Japanese Suite using Japanese melodies given by Ito. But it was not a co-production. It sems that Holst did not let Ito know about his composition. On the contrary, Ito had a chance of co-production with the artist-circle of Pound. Yeats, ickells, Dulac and Coburn. They were interested in Japanese No-play and gave Ito some opportunities in 1915/1916 to dance using Uapanese costumes they designed. In this way, the Japanese dances became Ito's main repertory throughout the 1910's. We don't know precisely about the music used for Ito's Japanesedances. The original music for Fox dance is supposed to have been similar to the finale of Japanese Suite by Holst. Ito preferred to use Japanese melodies also in New York after 1917. At the Hawk's Well was performed in New York in 1918, because American people were also interested in Japanese No-play Koscak Yamada composed new music for this performance. Although Yamada's music is still existing in piano version, it is not clear how his music was actually performed in America. Ito performed Tamura and some other No-and Kyogen-plays in English version, too. It should be made clear how music was performed in these productions and why No/Kyogen-elements because reduced in his repertory suddenly in the mid-1920's.