Ryoko Aoki

Ryoko Aoki (Oita, Japan) is a groundbreaking female performer in the traditional Noh theatre, a field historically dominated by male actors. She is a pioneer of merging Noh – traditional recitation – with contemporary music, inspiring over 50 compositions by esteemed composers such as Peter Eötvös, Toshio Hosokawa, and Stefano Gervasoni.

Aoki has performed worldwide, including cities like Tokyo, Paris, and Berlin, and has appeared at major festivals such as the Asia-Pacific Weeks Berlin and the Takefu International Music Festival. Her notable collaborations include performances with the Arditti Quartet, the Münchener Kammerorchester and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

In recent years, Aoki premiered Hosokawa's Futari Shizuka and Eötvös' Secret Kiss, expanding her project Noh x Contemporary Music, through which she commissions new works. She also leads workshops, including sessions with Sasha Waltz and Guests, and released a Noh x Contemporary Music recording in 2014.

Photo: Tadayuki Minamoto