See the definitive swan song of a beloved maestro in a one-of-a-kind musical and cinematic experience for one screening only on Mother's Day, Sunday May 12 at Luna Leederville.
The final performance of legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away last year, Ryuichi Sakamoto Opus is a concert film where Sakamoto performs 21 of his most famous compositions in Japan's best sound studio.
On March 28, 2023, legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away from his battle with cancer. In the final stages of his life, with touring and solo shows now impossible due to his health battle, the maestro wanted to perform for the world one final time.
Shot by Ryuichi’s son Neo Sora and armed only with a stage and his legendary Yamaha grand piano, Ryuchi performed a carefully curated selection of 21 songs for the final time. Shot in an intimate black and white, Sora captures the master’s swansong with breathtaking intimacy and emotion.
The master’s final performance is a truly one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. Having selected the songs and running order himself, the master artist performs one film time, leaving the world with this opus.
‘The project was conceived as a way to record my performances—while I was still able to perform—in a way that is worth preserving for the future. We borrowed the NHK Broadcast Center’s 509 Studio to record in… I played every piece at home which we recorded on an iPhone to construct the overall composition of the concert that will express the progression of time from morning into night. Everything was meticulously storyboarded so that the camera positions and the lighting changed significantly with each song. I went into the shoot a little nervous, thinking this might be my last chance to share my performance with everyone in this way. We recorded a few songs a day with a lot of care.
In some sense, while thinking of this as my last opportunity to perform, I also felt that I was able to break new ground. Simply playing a few songs a day with a lot of concentration was all I could muster at this point in my life. Perhaps due to the exertion, I felt utterly hollow afterwards, and my condition worsened for about a month. Even so, I feel relieved that I was able to record before my death—a performance that I was satisfied with.’
—Ryuichi Sakamoto
Vale Ryuichi Sakamoto San. (January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023)
'A glorious final performance.’ – Variety
‘A uniquely affecting last will & testament.’ – Slant Magazine
‘I urge you to show up for a man saying goodbye in a way that only he can.’ – IndieWire
‘A stunning send-off for a beloved virtuoso.’ – Cinemacy