Stage name:

Nakamura Matazô II

Real name: Itô Susumu

Other name: Taguchi Daizô

Guild: Harimaya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Existence: 4 June 1933 ~ 7 March 2017

Connections:

Masters: Nakamura Matagorô III, Nakamura Matagorô II, Bandô Mitsugorô VIII

Career:

1958: he graduated from Sophia University (Tôkyô) and became disciple of the famous actor Bandô Mitsugorô VIII.

1961: he became disciple of Nakamura Matagorô II.

June 1962: he made his first appearance on stage, in Tôkyô at the Takarazuka Gekijô, performing in the "Tokaiya/Daimotsu no Ura" scenes of the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" and in the drama "Hana no Shôgai".

May 1967: he became nadai and received the name of Nakamura Matazô II.

16 January 1975: his first master Bandô Mitsugorô VIII died.

February 1977: premiere at the Kabukiza of Ikenami Shôtarô's drama "Ichimatsu Kozô no Onna"; Matazô played the role of the bantô Kumeshirô [more details].

1982: 4-week seminar at the Munich University (Germany). Matazô played the role of Taira no Tomomori in the dance "Funa Benkei".

May 1984: seminar in Germany.

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

June 1987: seminar at the Dartington College of Arts in Devon (England).

April ~ June 1989: Matazô was invited by the Strasbourg University (France) for a Kabuki workshop.

May 1990: Matazô took part in a theatre festival in Berlin.

August ~ September 1996: tour in Hungary and Austria with Nakamura Shijaku II.

May 1998: Kabuki seminar in Berlin organized by the Goethe Institut. It included a scene from the play "Kagamiyama Kokyô no Nishikie" and the dance "Sakura".

May 1999: seminar in London.

March 2000: tour in Vietnam and Australia with Nakamura Kyôzô; The two actors performed together in the dance "Masakado".

21 February 2009: his second master Nakamura Matagorô II died.

November 2009: Matazô appeared on stage for the last time, in Tôkyô at the Kabukiza, where he played the role of Onodera Jûnai in the 11th act of the classic "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

September 2011: he became a disciple of Nakamura Matagorô III but never appeared on stage with his third master.

7 March 2017: Matazô died.

Comments:

Nakamura Matazô II was a supporting tachiyaku of the Harimaya guild and an indefatigable traveler, able to speak English, who toured the World to perform and talked about Kabuki.

Nakamura Matazô II was also the author of a great book on Kabuki, "Kabuki-Backstage, Onstage: An Actor's Life" published by Kôdansha International in 1990 [review].