A delight for lovers of good literature, The Japan Foundation, Manila presents the first ever Haruki Murakami Festival in Manila, kicking off several weeks of celebration with its Opening Night last February 27 at the Leong Hall Auditorium of Ateneo de Manila University. Everyone was invited to experience Haruki Murakami’s work through music, films and talks from February to March 2018. The Festival, which showcases one of the world’s best-selling and most popular Japanese contemporary novelists, Haruki Murakami, consists of a series of free events categorized in three segments where you will have opportunities to enjoy the world of Murakami with your senses: 1) “Talk about” Murakami: talks, 2) “Watch” Murakami: films; and 3) “Listen to” Murakami: live concerts.
At the opening night, , Prof. Alona Guevarra, an expert on Haruki Murakami Studies, together with Julz Riddle, discussed the popularity and global appeal of Murakami, as well as his influence in the Philippines.
The talk included a performance of Mozart’s “Das Veilchen” and the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” by award-winning pianist April Dawnena Merced-Misa together with other classical artists, as a preview of the concert “Listen to Murakami” on March 23 & 24.
The Festival is generously supported by The Embassy of Japan, BGC Arts Center, JT International (Philippines) Inc., Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., UP Film Institute, Kritika Kultura, AILAP, The Japanese Studies Program in Ateneo de Manila University and Fully Booked.
Haruki Murakami’s bio is available at http://www.harukimurakami.com/author/ (Penguin Random House). Please note that the presence of Haruki Murakami himself is not expected during the Festival. For more details and updates about the Festival, please visit the following:
JF Manila Official: http://facebook.com/jfmanila
TALK ABOUT Murakami Talks: https://goo.gl/sdnFi6
WATCH Murakami: Film showings: https://goo.gl/jDtTUr
LISTEN to Haruki Murakami: Jazz, Classical Music and the Beatles Concert: https://goo.gl/G6b5mg
About the Japan Foundation, Manila
The Japan Foundation was established in 1972 by special legislation in the Japanese Diet and became an Independent Administrative Institution in October 2003. The mission of the Japan Foundation is to promote international cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. As the 18th overseas office, the Japan Foundation, Manila was founded in 1996, active in three focused areas: Arts and Culture; Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange; Japanese-Language Education Overseas. For more information please visit our website at www.jfmo.org and Facebook.
About The Author
