The Projector Celebrates The Legacy Of Ryuichi Sakamoto With A Gig And Screenings

The career of the late Ryuichi Sakamoto is unparalleled (Credit: All images courtesy of The Projector)

The world is still grieving the loss of Japanese musical icon, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Singapore is no exception. From his electro-pop achievements with Yellow Magic Orchestra to his solo classical opuses, the myriad works of the esteemed composer have touched the lives of many beyond the musical community. Now opening a retrospective window into the decades-long legacy of Sakamoto is The Projector, which is organising a series of screenings and events that celebrates the extraordinary artistry of the late legend.

Titled Remembering Ryuichi, The Projector is freeing up its Projector X: Picturehouse pop-up (at The Cathay) for a limited run of documentaries featuring the legendary musician. On 5 May, they’re screening RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: async AT THE PARK AVENUE ARMORY, an intimate live performance filmed in New York in 2017. The filmed concert captures Sakamoto’s first public unveiling of his 19th solo album, async, which he composed following his recovery from throat cancer. Within the web of sounds are fusions between orchestral instrumentation and programmed electronics, crafted and improvised live with no barrier in between. The tribute continues after the screening with a special vinyl performance led by Japanese retro guru, Itch, who will play his personal collection of Sakamoto records and similarly-inspired music.

Watch an intimate live performance of async by Sakamoto

On 13 and 21 May, the indie-inclined cinema will be screening another documentary that submerges deeper into the life of Sakamoto. It digs up RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA which tells the story of Sakamoto’s pursuits and beliefs, spanning his musical philosophies and his influence as a social activist against nuclear power. Documented by director Stephen Nomura Schible over the course of five years, the 2017 film progresses across a tumultuous timeline punctuated by the Fukushima crisis and Sakamoto’s illness, which subsequently carved the way the film was shaped. It culminates in epiphany and fruition, with Sakamoto dawning on new musical expression in the end.

Sakamoto succumbed to his illness on 28 March 2023 at the age of 71, a shattering, rippling development that continues to shake the world. In memory of Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Projector is doing its part to immortalise his art.

Remembering Ryuichi at Projector X: Picturehouse, 5 May (RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: async AT THE PARK AVENUE ARMORY + Vinyl Tribute Night), and 13 & 21 May (RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA). For more information on times and tickets, visit this website or follow The Projector’s Instagram page.