World Premiere: 'Genji'

Schedule

Friday, March 24, 2023
7:30 p.m. Performance
Reception to Follow

Saturday, March 25, 2023
7:30 p.m. Performance

Genji, the passionate and poetic new ballet by Nao Kusuzaki, is a contemporary retelling of the classic novel The Tale of Genji, about friendship, love, and the dynamics of power and social class in Heian-period Japan. Featuring dancers from the Houston Ballet, sumptuous production design, and original music composed and played live by acclaimed musician Kaoru Watanabe, this is a not-to-be-missed world premiere event.

Genji was commissioned by Asia Society Texas. 

Creative Team

Cast
Ryoto Kato (Genji)
Jindallae Bernard (Rokujyo)
Emma Forrester (Aoi)
Aoi Fujiwara (Fujitsubo)
Yumiko Fukuda (Murasaki)

Choreographer and Artistic Director
Nao Kusuzaki 

Composer and Musician
Kaoru Watanabe

Set Designer
Ryan McGettigen 

Costume Designer
Allison Miller

Lighting Designer and Stage Manager
Tiffany Schrepferman 

About the Artists

Nao Kusuzaki was born in Ehime prefecture, Japan. After moving to the U.S. at age 10, she continued her training with the Washington School of Ballet and Boston Ballet School. Nao became a member of Corps de Ballet with Boston Ballet in 2001. In 2004 she joined Houston Ballet and was promoted to Soloist in 2009. She has danced numerous leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. Some of her featured roles include: the Sugarplum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Nikiya in La Bayadere, Madame Butterfly in Madame Butterfly, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort, Sinfonietta, and Falling Angels, William Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, and Mark Morris’s Pacific. Nao is also active in the Houston community through producing Dance for Hope, a benefit Concert in response to Japan Earthquake of 2011, co-creating TSURU with Asia Society Texas in 2015, and directing and dancing the 45th Anniversary Ballet Performance celebrating Houston and Chiba Sister City Relations, which premiered in July 22, 2017. In November, 2017, she directed and danced in the revival of TSURU at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston where Nao was commended by the Consulate General, Japan. Nao is Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of Creative Minds Collaborative Inc., a nonprofit organization which seeks to create meaning across artists, educators, and supporters of the arts utilizing dance as the main medium.

Composer and musician Kaoru Watanabe grounds his performance in traditional Japanese music while inhabiting a startling combination of musical worlds. He is renowned for his ability to collaborate with a diverse array of visionary international artists: Jason Moran, Yo-Yo Ma and Silkroad, Spanish flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena, visual artists Simone Leigh and Alyson Shotz, calligrapher Koji Kakinuma, Japanese National Living Treasure Bando Tamasaburo, vocalists Alicia Hall Moran and Imani Uzuri, tap dancers Tamango and Kazunori Kumagai, Galician bagpiper Carlos Nuñez, So Percussion, Semba Kiyohiko, Reigakusha, Brooklyn Raga Massive, Adam Rudolph and Go:Organic Orchestra, the Aizuri and Parker String Quartets, and pipa virtuoso Wu Man. In 2018, Watanabe debuted as an orchestral soloist and composer with the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House. He is an advisor, composer, and featured musician on the Oscar-nominated score of Wes Anderson’s film Isle of Dogs and was a guest artist on the Silkroad's Grammy Award-winning album Sing Me Home.

Presenting Sponsors of Genji

Stephanie and Frank Tsuru

Diamond Sponsors of Genji

Leigh and Reggie Smith

Gold Sponsors of Genji

Anne and Albert Chao

Silver Sponsors of Genji

Isla and T.R. Reckling III
Vivi Nguyen and Christopher Robertson

Bronze Sponsors of Genji

Nancy Haywood
Jean and Henry May

Japan Series Sponsor

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, and the Wortham Foundation. Additional support provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

Presenting Partner

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.