Hear Not: The Jazz Winds of Haruki Murakami

After the acclaimed run of "Let's Hear: The Jazz Winds of Haruki Murakami" in 2023 at JCCAC and 2024 at the Hong Kong Arts Development Council's ""Show Case"", this new chapter of multi-sensory exploration of Murakami's literature and jazz moves to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, in which it seeks to escape the chaos and illusiveness of jazz, choosing instead the solid ground from which the hitherto unfinished 3-way dialogue can forever be cast into the dark, wintry depths of their shared abyss of memory.

Neither a mere concert nor a conventional theatre piece, this production explores the psychological struggle where suppression is marred by lingering resonance.

【Melody Beyond Language】
Music Director and Playwright Justin Siu reunites with Japanese saxophonist Yu Hagiwara and local actress Zoe Lau. Beneath the light of two moons, they navigate—through notes and dialogue—the past that has been deliberately "unheard," and the melodies that linger in silence.

【Between Two Moons】
Last time, the story revolved around "her" futile, forlorn longing for "him," while "I" was tangled between friendship and death. All ended in pain.

This time, "she" tries to erase everything about "him." Tearing pages, putting away records, retreating into a world without music to fortify defences against heart-wrenching jazz rhythms.

Yet, as Murakami writes: "The song is over, but the melody lingers on."

The resonance is like a cold wind from the "hard-boiled wonderland" which perhaps "I" cannot escape from either. Even covering one's ears, the notes of memory are traced vividly within the darkness of the mind.

【Highlights】
A deep interweaving of literature and music: Authorised by the Haruki Murakami Library, the performance incorporates imageries from Hear the Wind Sing, A Wild Sheep Chase, and the Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.

Through theatre, projection, and silhouettes, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre stage becomes a space where reality and illusion intertwine. Crossing the boundaries of jazz, the work steps into the broader musical landscape in Murakami's writing, in search of a reverberating sound that reaches the soul, echoing the spirit of Dance Dance Dance: "Dance. You gotta dance. As long as the music plays."

Whether you are drawn to the solitude of Murakami's literature, the free breath of jazz, curious about what is "Not" to "Hear" or simply seeking tranquility accompanied by music and words amidst the city's hustle and bustle, we invite you to take a seat.

That jazz wind will still find its way in.


"Justin and his team skilfully use the distinct qualities of different media to illuminate Murakami's worldview, while leaving intentional narrative space for the audience to reflect on their own lives… A single-medium performance may make it easier to focus, but can any single art form truly capture the weight of love and existence? This cross-disciplinary approach brings together the strengths of different art forms, resulting in a performance that stays with you long after it ends."
— International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong), 4 February 2025

Supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Hong Kong Arts Development Council supports freedom of artistic expression. The views and opinions expressed in this project do not represent the stand of the Council.

To be performed in Cantonese and Japanese, with Chinese and English subtitles.
Seat of Early Bird Ticket would be assigned by presenter later.