Director Nick Ishimaru's production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's 'Pacific Overtures' explores the forcible opening of Japan to the West in 1853. Despite initial unfamiliarity, Ishimaru grew passionate about the show, noting its authentic representation of Japanese aesthetics, particularly the concept of 'ma' or negative space in music. Financial challenges led to a partnership with Brava and Theatre of Yugen to finally bring the production to life, which Ishimaru describes as his most challenging due to its complex harmonies and dissonances, evoking intricate emotional landscapes.
This is such a strange thing to say, but it felt so very Japanese. Even though it's written by two very American guys, there were so many aesthetics in it that they were picking up on, even back in the '70s, that are very Japanese in their nature.
There's lots of minor dissonant chords, and there's lots of uneven half step dissonances throughout. It's just chord, space, chord, space, chord, space.
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