Stage names:

Kataoka Nizaemon X
Kataoka Gadô III
Kataoka Matsuwaka
Kataoka Tsuchinosuke I

Other name:

Kataoka Roen III

Real name: Kataoka Tsuchinosuke

Guild: Matsushimaya

Line number: JÛDAIME (X)

Poetry names: Gadô (3), Roen (3)

Blazon: the ideogram for two (2 horizontal bars) in a circle

Existence: 13th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1851 ^[1] ~ 16 April 1895

Connections:

Father: Kataoka Nizaemon VIII

Brothers: Kataoka Tôkichi, Kataoka Shigejirô, Kataoka Nizaemon XI

Son: Kataoka Nizaemon XII

Grandsons: Kataoka Gadô V, Ichimura Yoshigorô II, Kataoka Roen VI

Career:

13th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1851 ^[1]: born in Ôsaka.

1854: the Kataoka clan settled in Edo.

8th lunar month of 1856: he made his first appearance on stage in Edo at the Nakamuraza, where he received the name of Kataoka Tsuchinosuke and performed in the drama "Zôhô Suzuka Gassen".

10th lunar month of 1862: the Kataoka clan went back to Ôsaka.

16th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1863 ^[2]: his father Kataoka Nizaemon VIII died.

1867: Kataoka Tsuchinosuke I took the name of Kataoka Matsuwaka.

1st lunar month of 1872: Kataoka Matsuwaka took the name of Kataoka Gadô III at the Kado no Shibai, playing the roles of Yokoyama Tarô and Shûrinosuke in the drama "Hime Kurabe Futabae no Zôshi".

February 1876: Gadô and his brother Kataoka Hidetarô I went together to Tôkyô.

March 1876: Gadô achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by playing the role of Fujiya Izaemon in the drama "Gohiiki Kuruwa Bunshô", sharing the stage with Iwai Hanshirô VIII in the role of the courtesan Yûgiri; his brother took the name of Kataoka Gatô III.

November 1876: Gadô became zagashira in the same theater and played the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kô no Moronô, Hayano Kanpei, Yazama Jûtarô and Amakawaya Gihei in the drama "Chûkô Iroha Dango" (similar to "Kanadehon Chûshingura"). He also played the role of the sumô wrestler Imagawa Jirokichi in the drama "Sekitori Senryô Nobori"

August 1879: Gadô took part in the opening ceremony of the Hisamatsuza [more details].

23 May 1880: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Arimatsuzome Sumô Yukata"; Gadô played the roles of the sumôtori Onogawa Kisaburô and Takao Jûzaemon [more details].

May 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shin Sarayashiki Tsuki no Amagasa"; Gadô played the roles of Isobe Kazunosuke and Urato Monzaburô [casting].

November 1883: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Zôho Tenjiku Tokubê", a revision of Tsuruya Nanboku IV's "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi"; Gadô played the roles of Hosokawa Shurinosuke Masamoto and the yakko Shikazô [casting].

October 1884: Gadô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Tamiya Iemon in the drama "Katamigusa Yotsuya Kaidan" (similar to Tsuruya namboku IV's masterpiece "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan"); the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi were played by Onoe Kikugorô V.

February 1885: Gadô took part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [more details]. Premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Suitengû Megumi no Fukagawa"; Gadô played the role of Yamaoka Tomisaburô [casting].

November 1885: premiere at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Mokuami's drama "Shisen Ryô Koban no Ume-no-Ha"; Gadô played the roles of Hamada Sanai, the rônanushi Matsushima Okugorô and Nagabusa no Tamazô (a member of the Chitose kôjû) [more details].

February 1886: Gadô played at the Ichimuraza the role of Tanzaemon Motoyasu in the drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima"; his stage partners were Nakamura Fukusuke IV (Chidori), Nakamura Shikan IV (Shunkan) and Seki Sanjûrô IV (Senoo Tarô).

February 1889: the Kataoka brothers went back to Ôsaka after 13 years spent in Tôkyô.

January 1890: Gadô became zagashira at the Kado no Shibai, playing the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kô no Moronô and Senzaki Yagorô in the classic "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

January 1895: Kataoka Gadô III took the name of Kataoka Nizaemon X at the Bentenza (Ôsaka); he suddenly sank into raving madness and died a few months after his shûmei, the 16th of April 1895.

Comments:

Kataoka Nizaemon X was a talented actor able to perform a wide range of roles, as tachiyaku, katakiyaku or onnagata. His field of excellence was wagoto. He was endowed with a great voice and both his vocal projection and the way he delivered his lines were outstanding. As regards psychology, he was not a stable man and his quarrels with his brother Kataoka Gatô III (who refused to take part in his shûmei) or the Kamigata star Ichikawa Udanji I drove him insane.

[1] The 13th day of the 3rd lunar month of the 4th year of the Kaei era was the 14th of April 1851 in the western calendar.

[2] The 16th day of the 2nd lunar month of the 3rd year of the Bunkyû era was the 3rd of April 1863 in the western calendar.

Kataoka Nizaemon X's shinie

Prints & Illustrations

The Kataoka Roen line of actors

The Kataoka Gadô line of actors

The Kataoka Nizaemon line of actors