Theatrical Genres: Nagauta

Nagauta was created for use in kabuki theater [see Theatrical Genres: Kabuki] at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Nagauta performances in kabuki theater may be divided into two types: background music performed from behind the kuromisu screen at stage right; and music, known as de bayasi, used as an accompaniment to dance and played by performers seated in rows at the back of the stage, facing the audience. Well-known examples of the de bayasi type of nagauta include Kyôganoko...