My Years With Pavlova

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

73-74

text excerpt

One evening, after our performance, Pavlova and the entire Company were invited by a Japanese artist to his home.  We sat, or rather knelt, round three sides of the oblong room, while a few understanding geisha brought us extra cushions which they tucked into the bend of our knees.  This relieved the strain a little.  The walls of the room were of dull gold and there was a painted screen of great beauty along one of them.  Before each of us was placed a little black lacquer table with a tray of Japanese delicacies and of course a cup of warm rice wine, sake.  At the end of the room, behind the Shoji, was a Japanese orchestra consisting of the lute or koto (13 stringed Japanese lute), the flute, and percussion.

                To the accompaniment of this orchestra the entertainment began, the ancient drama of Susano-o and the Serpent.  I found it all perfectly easy to follow, so precise and explicit were the gestures.   

excerpt from 'My Years With Pavlova' pp. 73-74 (162 words)

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