Tributo a Ryiki Sakamoto

**Appointment in Leuca for a Tribute to Ryūichi Sakamoto**

Matsushita and Vendola pay homage to the brilliant innovator of contemporary music

*Saturday, March 29, 7:00 PM Leuca, Hotel Terminal*

Exactly two years after his passing, the cultural association Lampus honors the memory of Ryūichi Sakamoto in Leuca on Saturday, March 29. Sakamoto was a Japanese musician who left an indelible mark on the world of Music and Cinema. The tribute will be entrusted to an exceptional Duo: Japanese pianist Rie Matsushita and double bassist Giorgio Vendola.

**A Genius to Know Better**

Versatile artist, refined composer, and internationally renowned musician, Sakamoto is remembered by many for composing film scores like Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor," which earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy Award, as well as "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," "High Heels," "Little Buddha," "The Sheltering Sky," and many others.

A pianist and electronic experimenter, Sakamoto was an indefatigable innovator who spanned genres and cultures with unique sensitivity. He masterfully fused Eastern tradition with Western avant-garde, creating unique soundscapes suspended between past and future.

In addition to film scores, Sakamoto explored new sound territories, collaborating with artists of all genres, and experimenting with ambient, glitch, and electronic music. His work was always driven by an incessant pursuit of innovation and a strong interest in the fusion of technology and art.

Sakamoto was more than a musician: he was a sound architect, an artist capable of transforming each note into a sensory experience, but also a producer, actor, and activist, belonging to that small circle of immortal artists who marked an era with their vision and ability to reinvent sound.

**The Legacy of a Master**

Passing away on March 28, 2023, at the age of 71, Sakamoto devoted his later years to active involvement in environmental and humanitarian causes. He opposed nuclear energy following the Fukushima disaster and promoted awareness of climate change. His music became increasingly intimate and meditative, reflecting a deep connection with nature and the passage of time.

Even after a cancer diagnosis in 2014, Sakamoto continued to compose and perform, leaving behind works of extraordinary beauty such as "async" (2017) and "12" (2023), his testament album, a sound diary encapsulating all his poetics and sensitivity. He announced his illness himself in the remarkable Stephen Shible film "Ryūichi Sakamoto: Coda," shown out of competition at the Venice Film Festival 74 in 2017, where Sakamoto's son, Neo Sora, was a co-director of photography.

In 2022, feeling the end was near, he decided to go into the studio for the last time to record a synthesis of his work, "Opus," this time under his son's direction, performing twenty pieces on the piano in total solitude, representative of an entire career.

With his extraordinary talent, Ryūichi Sakamoto redefined the concept of music, transforming it into a bridge between cultures, eras, and sensations. His legacy continues to inspire artists and listeners, proving that music, as he believed, is a universal language capable of connecting souls.

**A heartfelt and vibrant tribute in Leuca**

Artists of rare sensitivity, Rie Matsushita and Giorgio Vendola, will affectionately and respectfully interpret some of Sakamoto's most iconic film scores, alternating them with original pieces inspired by his aesthetic and unmistakable style. It will be a journey through notes and memory, where past and present intertwine in an intense and evocative musical dialogue. This will be a unique opportunity to rediscover the evocative power of compositions that accompanied cinematic masterpieces. His music, capable of blending minimalism, electronic, and orchestral tradition, has profoundly marked the global musical landscape, moving generations with his unforgettable soundtracks and deep, intimate compositions.

**The details of the appointment**
- Location: Leuca - seafront, at the Hotel Terminal hall
- Concert start: 7:00 PM
- Entry reserved for Lampus members (supporter card cost 5€)
- Tickets at www.oooh.events
- Information via WhatsApp at 347 5169946
- P.S.: Possibility of dining and staying at the hotel with special treatment exclusively for concert attendees (information and reservations at 0833 758242)
Web: www.facebook.com/lampus.it