Stage names:

Nakamura Matagorô II

Real name: Nakamura Yukio

Guild: Harimaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Poetry name: Shikin

Existence: 21 July 1914 ~ 21 February 2009

Connections:

Father: Nakamura Matagorô I

Disciples: Nakamura Matazô II, Nakamura Matanosuke II, Nakamura Mataichi, Nakamura Shijaku II

Career:

19 March 1920: his father Nakamura Matagorô I dies.

January 1921: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Ichimuraza, receiving the name of Nakamura Matagorô II.

March 1928: premiere at the Hongôza of Oka Onitarô's drama "Nemuru-ga-Rakuda Monogatari"; Matagorô plays the role of the sakaya decchi Santa [casting].

February 1934: premiere at the Kabukiza of "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura"; Matagorô plays the role of the bonze Tokuan [casting].

December 1946: Matagorô is a member of the Kabuki troupe which celebrates the reopening of the rebuilt Mitsukoshi Gekijô [more details].

February 1955: second edition at the Kabukiza from the 24th to the 27th of February of the Tsubomikai, a study group led by Nakamura Utaemon VI [more details]. It includes the revival of Sakurada Jisuke I's dance-drama "Kumo no Hyôshimai" (entitled "Waga Sekogakoi no Aizuchi") [casting] and Izumi Kyôka's drama "Tenshu Monogatari" is staged for the first time with Kabuki actors [casting]; Matagorô plays the roles of Susuki and Usui Sadamitsu in "Tenshu Monogatari" and "Waga Sekogakoi no Aizuchi".

March 1955: Hasegawa Shin's drama "Ori" was staged with a full Kabuki casting for the first time, in Tôkyô at the Meijiza; Matagorô played the role of the sakan Jirohachi [more details].

July 1955: premiere at the Tôkyô Takarazuka Theater of Uno Nobuo's drama "Mômoku Monogatari"; Matagorô played the role of Asai Nagamatsu [more details]. This drama was part of the first Tôhô Kabuki postwar performance. The Tôkyô Takarazuka Theater was taken over by the American occupation forces in 1945, becoming the Ernie Pyle Theater. It was forbiden to Japanese for 10 years and was finally given back to the Tôhô Company in 1955, which renamed it with its original name.

July 1956: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's drama "Sumidagawa Hana no Goshozome", commonly called "Onna Seigen"; Matagorô plays the role of Matsuyoi [more details].

March 1959: revival at the Meijiza of the dance-drama "Kumo no Ito Oyozume Banashi"; Matagorô plays the role of Sakata Kintoki [more details].

November 1959: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Mishima Yukio; Matagorô plays the roles of Awazu Shichirô and Sentarô [casting].

February 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Shiranui Kengyô"; Matagorô plays the role of Fusagorô [casting].

April 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Onizoroi Momijigari"; Matagorô plays the role of a female retainer, in reality a female demon [casting].

June ~ July 1960: Matagorô takes part in the first Kabuki tour in the USA; Matagorô plays the roles of Kamei Rokurô, Momonoi Wakasanosuke, Ishidô Umanojô, Tarôkaja and Jiroku in the plays "Kanjinchô", "Kanadehon Chûshingura", "Migawari Zazen" and "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame" [casting].

July 1963: revival at the Yomiuri Hall in Tôkyô of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Kuwanaya Tokuzô Irifune Monogatari"; Matagorô plays the role of Ôdachi Kageyu [casting].

December 1966: second month of the opening ceremony of the National Theatre with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Matagorô plays the role of Tonami [casting].

November 1969: premiere at the National Theatre of Mishima Yukio's drama "Chinsetsu Yumihari-zuki"; Matagorô plays the role of the ghost of Minamoto Tameyoshi [more details].

June 1973: revival at the National Theatre of Tsuruya Nanboku IV and Sakurada Jisuke II drama "Kokoro no Nazo Toketa Iroito"; Matagorô plays the role of the tedai Sagobê [casting].

February 1977: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Ichimatsu Kozô no Onna"; Matagorô plays the role of Ichimatsu Kozô no Matakichi [more details].

April 1981: revival at the National Theatre of Nishizawa Ippô's drama "Keisei Hama no Masago"; Matagorô plays the role of Maeda Toshiie [casting].

April 1986: Kabuki tour in South America [more details].

March 1991: revival at the National Theatre of Namiki Gohei I's play "Sode Nikki Banshû Meguri"; Matagorô plays the role of Momonoi Shuridayû [more details].

June 1992: Matagorô takes part in a Kabuki seminar in France.

January 1997: tôshi kyôgen revival at the National Theatre of the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki"; Matagorô plays the role of Jûzô's mother Matsuno [casting].

May 1997: Matagorô receives the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhô in Japanese).

April 2006: Matagorô appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, in the kôjô commemorating the 5th anniversary (6th memorial service) of the death of Nakamura Utaemon VI.

21 February 2009: Matagorô dies in Tôkyô.

Comments:

Nakamura Matagorô II was a talented veteran of the Kabuki world and a leading teacher at the National Theatre Actors Training Center. He devoted himself to nurturing future Kabuki actors while lecturing on the traditional performing art overseas to boost its recognition.

Nakamura Kankurô V (left) and Nakamura Matagorô II (right) playing the roles of Shinza and Chôbê in the drama "Kamiyui Shinza" (illustration courtesy of RANCHUROW (2010) all rights reserved)

The Nakamura Matagorô line of actors