The Wind Flute retraces key episodes from Japanese literature, in which music plays a central role, providing brief narrations of famous as well as little known stories – from the ancient saga of Genji Monogatari to contemporary fiction by authors like Tanizaki and Mishima - who often use the art of sound to define psychological climates, sensations, and ways of thinking. It is an articulate and enthralling performance that originates from the highly popular manga form and transcends all forms of writing, including the musical works by Murakami. Perhaps the best known living Japanese novelist in the West today, Murakami blends musical references of all kinds in his writing, such as his acclaimed novel Norwegian Wood, taken of course from the eponymous Beatles’ song.