Monet & Debussy: An Impressionist Collaboration at the Museum

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File 5 : Concert at the Yokohama Museum of Art ~ Meeting Two Impressionist Artists: Monet and Debussy~
(Miyuki Inoue / Copywriter)

The Yokohama Museum of Art is currently hosting the exhibition "Monet: 100 Years Since Then." On a Friday, towards the end of the exhibition, a wonderful piano and pantomime performance was held at the museum after closing time. (c) Akira

Co-hosted by Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the Yokohama Museum of Art, the event features Yuko Mifune (piano) and Philippe Aimard (performance). The "Piano Salon Concert 'Nostalgia Paris'" held at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall on the same day was a stylish stage themed around a "Parisian cabaret" from 100 years ago, so there are high expectations for the evening's special performance.

The evening session, planned in conjunction with the "Monet: 100 Years Later" exhibition, featured a program heavily focused on Impressionism, as evidenced by its subtitle, "Monet and Debussy: Meeting Two Impressionists."
The museum, shrouded in twilight, exudes a different, more subdued atmosphere than it does during the day, and this, too, is captivating.

The water lily pots placed in front of the entrance during the exhibition period seem to have regained their freshness in the cool evening air, which is a comforting sight. I hurried to the reception for tonight's special stage, glancing at the people leaving the museum after their viewing.

Prior to the concert, we first listened to a mini-lecture by Chief Curator Shintaro Matsunaga in the lecture room.
The unique feature of this exhibition is that it brings together 25 paintings by Monet and 66 works by 26 artists from later generations, including works by artists who "were not directly influenced by Monet." This is because, regardless of the artists' intentions, the exhibition aims to highlight Monet's innovativeness and universality by gathering works that, objectively speaking, share a common thread with Monet. The perspective of a museum curator is quite interesting. I have to visit the museum again during opening hours and try to find the "Monet-esque" elements in the works of contemporary artists!
Once the lecture was over and the venue was ready, we moved to the Grand Gallery.

Unlike the daytime when natural light floods the space, the gallery at night, illuminated by blue-based lighting, has a mystical atmosphere, reminiscent of being underwater.
Ms. Mifune appeared in a blue dress, and Ms. Emard in white overalls inspired by light. Centered around Debussy, the performance featured piano and pantomime, exuding a distinctly French spirit.
She performed as Monet to Debussy, recited "I Love Monet" to Schumann's "Träumerei," and even presented her own poems. Along with the beautiful melodies, we were captivated by Aimard's versatility.
Debussy himself apparently disliked being called an "Impressionist," but I thought there was no doubt that his ethereal music was a good match for Monet's paintings.

The approximately one-hour performance ended in the blink of an eye.
The encore was Edith Piaf's "L'hymne à l'amour (Hymn to Love)." Listening to Mifune's piano and Aimard's singing, you almost get the illusion of being on a street corner in Paris. If we were to compare it to Monet's works, it would be like his early works such as "Boulevard de Capucines."
Here, too, I feel like I've discovered "another Monet."

This event has ended.
Monet: The Next 100 Years
Exhibition period: Until September 24, 2018 (Monday, public holiday)
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art
Closed on Thursdays
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM *Until 8:30 PM on September 14th (Fri), 15th (Sat), 21st (Fri), and 22nd (Sat)
(Entry is permitted until 30 minutes before closing time)