2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996). In this collaboration between Reigakusha (ensemble) and Saburo Teshigawara (choreographer/dancer), Takemitsu’s renowned masterpiece of modern gagaku (court music), In An Autumn Garden, will be turned into a Japanese theatrical work that is accessible to audiences the world over. It is an ambitious performance that seeks to provide a close-up of the essence of Takemitsu’s musical world and to express In An Autumn Garden in a way that has never before been attempted, giving it a new visual appeal. The first half of the program will feature Rodai Ranbu, a combination of classical gagaku pieces that replicates the experience of an imperial court banquet (reconstructed and arranged by Sukeyasu Shiba). Whereas Takemitsu’s work uses the innovative sounds of modern gagaku to symbolize an autumn garden (nature), Shiba’s work depicts the elegant games of the aristocrats of yore (human activity) in the notes of the classical form. Throughout the beautiful contrast between these two works, the whole of the hall is used to represent the immense space that encompasses both humankind and nature.