Overview
- Princess Aiko attended the Imperial Household Agency’s spring gagaku concert at the Imperial Palace, held Saturday, and applauded the performances.
- The program revived the formal sequence of the bugaku dances Rindai followed by Seigaiha, a format the agency had not staged in four decades.
- Technical instructor Ono Tadaaki said Aiko requested Seigaiha last spring, which she described as a “historic moment” when performed in the formal pairing.
- The concert featured kangen ensemble music on shō and hichiriki and included pieces such as Keibairaku no Kyū and Genjōraku, alongside the Rindai and Seigaiha dances.
- The gagaku performed by the agency is designated a national Important Intangible Cultural Property and listed by UNESCO, and the department’s spring and autumn concerts are events Aiko regularly attends.