Stage names:
Bandô Mitsugorô VII
Bandô Yasosuke II
Guild: Yamatoya
Line number: SHICHIDAIME (VII)
Existence: 1882 ~ 4 November 1961
Connection:
Father: Morita Kan'ya XII
Brother: Morita Kan'ya XIII
Sister: Bandô Tamasaburô III
Masters: Ichikawa Danjûrô IX, Nakamura Shikan IV
Dance masters: Fujima Kan'emon II, Hanayagi Katsujirô
Adopted son: Bandô Mitsugorô VIII
Career:
October 1889: he makes his first stage appearance, playing under the name of Bandô Yasosuke II at the Kiriza in the drama "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki".
April 1906: Bandô Yasosuke II takes the name of Bandô Mitsugorô VII at the Kabukiza, playing in the drama "Mekura Nagaya Ume Kagatobi".
1908: Mitsugorô becomes zagashira at the Ichimuraza. His stage partners are Onoe Kikugorô VI and Nakamura Kichiemon I.
March 1910: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Hanago", adapted to Kabuki by Okamura Shikô and staged under the title "Migawari Zazen"; Mitsugorô plays the role of Tamanoi [casting].
June 1911: Mitsugorô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and the spirit of Taira no Tomomori in the dance-drama "Funa Benkei".
January 1916: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Bô Shibari", which is adapted to kabuki by Okamura Shikô; Mitsugorô plays the role of Tarôkaja [casting].
July 1917: premiere at the Ichimuraza of the kyôgen "Tachi Nusubito", adapted to Kabuki by Okamura Shikô with a musical accompaniment written by Kineya Mitarô. Onoe Kikugorô VI, Bandô Hikosaburô VI and Mitsugorô play the 3 roles of the dance.
November 1920: Mitsugorô plays at the Nihon Gekijô (Kôbe) and at the Misonoza (Nagoya, from the 12th of the month) the roles of Kojirô and Atsumori in the "Jinmon" and "Kumiuchi" scenes of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki". The role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane is played by Nakamura Kichiemon I.
1921: Mitsugorô leaves the Ichimuraza.
March 1921: premiere at the Imperial Theater of the dance-drama "Chatsubo", which is adapted from kyôgen to Kabuki by Okamura Shikô and stars Onoe Kikugorô VI and Mitsugorô.
February 1926: Mitsugorô plays at the Hongôza the roles of Shizuka Gozen and the spirit of Taira no Tomomori in the dance-drama "Funa Benkei".
April 1926: Mitsugorô plays at the Hongôza the roles of Ishidô Umanojô and Genroku in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
January 1924: Mitsugorô plays at the Minamiza (Kyôto) and at the Misonoza (Nagoya, from the 18th of the month) the roles of Kojirô and Atsumori in the "Jinmon" and "Kumiuchi" scenes of the classic "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki". The role of the warrior Kumagai Jirô Naozane is played by Nakamura Kichiemon I.
May 1926: Mitsugorô plays the role of Abe no Munetô in the play "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara", which is performed at the Asakusa Shôchikuza. His stage partners are Ichikawa Chûsha VII (Abe no Sadatô), Bandô Shûchô III (Sodehagi) and Ichimura Kamezô III (Yoshiie).
April 1928: Mitsugorô plays for the first time the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne", which is staged at the Meijiza.
January 1932: Mitsugorô plays at the Nakaza (Ôsaka) the role of Sakata Kurando in the drama "Komochi Yamamba". The roles of Yaegiri is played by Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.
September 1933: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the Nagauta-based kyôgen "Takatsuki", which is adapted to Kabuki by Hisamatsu Issei (lyrics) and Kashiwa Izaburô (music) and performed by Onoe Kikugorô VI and Mitsugorô.
May 1936: Mitsugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".
june 1940: Mitsugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".
January 1940: Mitsugorô plays at the Kabukiza the role of Arajishi Otokonosuke in the "Yuka Shita" scene of the classic "Meiboku Sendai Hagi". The role of Nikki Danjô is played by Matsumoto Kôshirô VII.
May 1949: premiere at the Tôkyô Gekijô of the dance-drama "Higaki"; Mitsugorô plays the role of Shii no Shôshô [casting].
September 1951: Mitsugorô plays for the last time the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune, at the Kabukiza, in the bombastic play "Ya-no-Ne".
September 1957: Mitsugorô collapses on the Kabukiza stage while performing in the play "Kanzan Jittoku". This is his last performance.
Comments:
Bandô Mitsugorô VII was an excellent dancer, nicknamed "The God of Dance" ("Odori no Kamisama" in Japanese) and stage partner of Onoe Kikugorô VI in great dances like the 2 famous kyôgen "Migawari Zazen" (created at the Ichimuraza in 1910) and "Bô Shibari" (created at the Ichimuraza in 1916). Aragoto was another of his fields of excellence.
Bandô Mitsugorô VII's best roles : Tadanobu ("Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura"), Kisen ("Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori"), Soga Gorô Tokimune ("Kotobuki Soga no Taimen" and "Ya-no-Ne"), the leading roles of the dances "Yasuna", "Chatsubo", "Kurama Jishi", "Sanja Matsuri", "Kairaishi", "Tomo Yakko" and "Tanemaki Sambasô".
Bandô Mitsugorô VII in a yakko role in a print made by Natori Shunsen
Print made by Yamamura Toyonari in 1922
The Bandô Yasosuke line of actors
The Bandô Mitsugorô line of actors