JQ Magazine: Yuja Wang, ONE OR EIGHT, New ‘Gundam Hathaway’
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
As spring continues and the weather continues to warm, New Yorkers can enjoy activities all over the city both indoors and out.
This month’s highlights include:
Courtesy of Carnegiehall.org
Friday, May 1, 8:00 p.m.
Mahler Chamber Orchestra: Yuja Wang, Piano and Director
Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue
From $350
For the first time at Carnegie Hall, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is led by Grammy-winning piano phenomenon Yuja Wang, who directs from her instrument. This exemplary touring ensemble has been a highlight in recent Carnegie Hall seasons, and its collaborations with Wang are highly renowned. It’s an ideal pairing, as Wang is not only one of the world’s leading virtuosos, but also an artist with a true gift for “drawing you into the world of each composer” Financial Times. Featuring concertmaster and leader Matthew Truscott, the evening’s selections will include Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Symphony No. 1, "Classical," as well as Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. With more than 45 musicians spanning over 20 different countries, this show will prove that music is truly the universal language.
Courtesy of MSG.com
Sunday, May 3, 8:00 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway
From $88.50
HoYoFair Fan Concert Once Upon HoYoFair LIVE In 2026 will come together in France, Germany, the UK, and the U.S. for six LIVE fan concerts! In celebration of the upcoming 2026, which marks the 5th anniversary of HoYoFair, HoYoverse is excited to announce the HoYoFair Fan Concert—a fan art-driven music feast organized by 54 Entertainment and CHARISMA TANUKI PRODUCTIONS. This unique event will feature musical performances from Honkai: Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, and Honkai Impact 3rd, all in one show. Fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the touching melodies of HoYoverse's beloved titles.
Earthly Bones © Illustration by Kei Ando; Kei Ando © Courtesy of the artist; Lauren Zeftel © Thomas Brunot
Monday, May 4, 8:00 p.m.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$21 nonmembers, $14 members
One late night in an overworked office, Miyabi is offered a bite of home-cooked fish and politely turns down the offer with a white lie. As acts of extreme politeness and Japanese office etiquette begin to stack on top of this innocent lie, office workers are stretched to the breaking point, until a sudden change overtakes Miyabi’s team… In her signature style for finding the farcical in the mundane structures of Japanese society, Kishida Kunio Drama Award winner Kei Ando’s play Earthly Bones dives deep into the inherent absurdities of Japanese office life. NYC-based director Lauren Zeftel and her cast of local actors take audiences on this mad joyride of distinctly Japanese dark humor in an English-language reading.
©SOTSU・SUNRISE
Opens Friday, May 15
Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
Various theaters
Various prices
The year is U.C.0105, twelve years after Char's Rebellion. "Mafty" has begun resisting the Federation government's tyrannical rule by assassinating its high-ranking officials. Its leader is actually Hathaway Noa, the son of Bright Noa, who fought in the One Year War alongside Amuro Ray. A girl named Gigi Andalusia, who displays uncanny powers, has reminded Hathaway of a past trauma. Though he is bewildered by her words, he prepares to carry out an air raid on the Adelaide conference, determined to fulfill Mafty's goals and lay his own past to rest. While swayed by her cryptic words, he continues preparing for Mafty’s mission — the attack on the Adelaide Conference. Meanwhile, Kenneth Sleg of the Federation Forces prepares a defense operation for the Adelaide Conference and a plan to eliminate Mafty, when he is approached by Handley Yoxon of the Criminal Police Organization with a secret proposal. As Hathaway and Kenneth pursue their respective goals, Gigi also sets off for Hong Kong to fulfill her own role.