Stage names:

Nakamura Denkurô IV
Ôtani Tokugorô
Ôtani Denzô II

Guild: ???

Line number: YODAIME (IV)

Existence: 1774 ~ 28th day of the 8th lunar month of 1799 ^[1]

Connections:

Adoptive father: Ôtani Hiroji III

Father-in-law (and second adoptive father): Nakamura Kanzaburô XI

Career:

1774 ~ 1779: born in Edo. He becomes at an early age disciple of the actor Ôtani Hiroji III, who gives him the name of Ôtani Denzô II.

11th lunar month of 1779: first stage appearance at the Ichimuraza, where he receives the name of Ôtani Tokugorô and plays a child role in the drama "Azuma no Mori Sakae Kusunoki", which celebrates the shûmei of Azuma Tôzô III and Segawa Otome.

1792: he is adopted by Nakamura Kanzaburô XI.

1st lunar month of 1793: Ôtani Tokugorô takes the name of Nakamura Denkurô IV at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year drama "Saikai Soga Nakamura". His stage partners in the roles of Soga Jûrô Sukenari (Gorô's brother) and Kudô Saemon Suketsune (the Soga brothers enemy) are Sawamura Sôjûrô III and Ichikawa Yaozô III.

1st lunar month of 1795: Denkurô achieves a great success at the Miyakoza, playing the role of Kobayashi no Asahina in the new year sogamono drama "Edo Sunago Kichirei Soga". This role is closely associated to the great actor Nakamura Denkurô I.

1st lunar month of 1796: Denkurô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

9th lunar month of 1796: the play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi" is staged for the first time in Edo, simultaneously at the Kiriza and the Miyakoza; Denkurô plays the role of Kinugawa Yasaburô in the former theater [casting].

6th lunar month of 1797: the dance-drama "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no seki no To" is revived for the first time, at the Kiriza; Denkurô plays the role of Yoshimine Munesada [casting].

1st lunar month of 1798: premiere at the Kiriza (Edo) of Namiki Gohei I's play "Tomioka Koi no Yamabiraki", commonly called "Ninin Shinbê"; Denkurô plays the role of the Shinbashi yaoya Isaburô [casting].

7th lunar month of 1799: Denkurô appears on stage for the last time, at the Ichimuraza, playing 2 roles in the drama "Onna Moji Fude no Michinoku". He dies the 28th day of the 8th lunar month of 1799 ^[1] and his tombstone is located in the cemetery of the Reiganji temple in the district of Fukagawa.

Comments:

Nakamura Denkurô IV was a promising actor who unfortunately died before reaching the peak of his art. He was able to play both tachiyaku or tateonnagata roles.

[1] The 28th day of the 8th lunar month of the 11th year of the Kansei era was the 27th of September 1799 in the western calendar.

The actors Matsumoto Yonesaburô I (left) and Nakamura Denkurô IV (right) in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni I in 1798

Print made by Utagawa Kunimasa in 1799