“Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus” will be screened on Friday, June 14, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.
Ryuichi Sakamoto with the Best Original Score Oscar he received in April 1988 for the movie “The Last Emperor.”
A celebration of an artist’s life in the purest sense, “Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus” is the definitive swan song of one of the world’s greatest musicians. In late 2022, as a parting gift, Sakamoto mustered all of his energy to leave us with one final performance: a concert film featuring just him and his piano.
Curated and sequenced by Sakamoto himself, the 20 pieces featured in the film wordlessly narrate his life through his wide-ranging oeuvre. The selection spans his entire career, from his pop-star period with Yellow Magic Orchestra and his magnificent scores for filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci to his meditative final album, “12.”
Intimately filmed in a space he knew well and surrounded by his most trusted collaborators, including director Neo Sora, his son, Sakamoto bares his soul through his exquisitely haunting melodies, knowing this was the last time he would be able to present his art.
This screening is presented by JACCC in collaboration with In Sheeps Clothing and dublab.
Preshow DJ sets by In Sheeps Clothing + dublab with preshow projections by Akiko Yamashita from 7 to 8 p.m. Screening at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $12 general, $10 for JACCC members. For reservations and more information, go to: https://jaccc.org/events/ryuichi-sakamoto-opus-screening/