| ÔTANI TOMOEMON I |
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Stage names:
Guilds: Yamashinaya, Ôzakaya Line number: SHODAI (I) Poetry name: Shiyû Existence: 1744 ~ 16th day of the 8th lunar month of 1781 [1] Connections: Master: Ôtani Hirohachi I Disciple: Ôtani Kuniji II, Ôtani Daihachi Career: 1744: born in Ôsaka. 1763: he became disciple of the actor Ôtani Hirohachi I and received the name of Ôtani Tomosaburô. 11th lunar month of 1765: Ôtani Tomosaburô took the name of Ôtani Tomoemon I in Kyôto, performing in the kaomise drama "Kachidoki Asahi no Ôgi", which was produced by Ichiyama Sukegorô II and Yamashita Kyônosuke at the Minamigawa no Shibai and welcomed in Kyôto the Edo actor Ichikawa Danzô III. 1st lunar month of 1767: Tomoemon's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, katakiyaku section, was jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual]. Fall 1769: Tomoemon went to Edo. 11th lunar month of 1769: Tomoemon played at the Ichimuraza the role of Kasuya Tôta Arisue in the kaomise drama "Mutsu no Hana Ume no Kaomise". 1st lunar month of 1772: Tomoemon achieved a great success at the Ichimuraza by playing the roles of Sukune Tarô and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". 11th lunar month of 1772: Tomoemon moved to the Nakamuraza, became jitsuaku and performed in the kaomise drama "Ôyoroi Ebidô Shinozuka", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Ebizô III, Matsumoto Kôshirô IV and Ichikawa Komazô III. 1st lunar month of 1773: Tomoemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual]. 11th lunar month of 1773: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the kaomise drama "Gohiiki Kanjinchô"; Tomoemon played the roles of the money broker Chôbê and Minamoto no Yukiie [casting]. This 46-days long performance, which also celebrated the shûmei of Nakamura Rikô I, was a tremendous success. 5th lunar month of 1774: Tomoemon played in the same theater the roles of the yakko Edohei and Washizuka Hachiheiji in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna". 7th lunar month of 1774: Tomoemon played in the same theater the roles of Sukune Tarô and Shiratayû in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". He also played the roles of Ôta Ryôchiku and Ono no Sadakurô in "Kanadehon Chûshingura". 9th lunar month of 1774: Tomoemon played in the same theater the roles of the kagokaki Jinbê and the tedai Gonkurô in "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki". 11th lunar month of 1774: Tomoemon performed at the Ichimuraza in Horikoshi Saiyô's kaomise drama "Chigo Sakura Jûsangane", which celebrated the shûmei of Segawa Kikunojô III. 5th lunar month of 1775: Tomoemon played in the same theater the role Yamaguchi Kurojirô in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki". 11th lunar month of 1775: Tomoemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Hana Zumô Genji Biiki". 3rd lunar month of 1776: first Kabuki adaptation of Matsu Kanshi's puppet theater drama "Koi Musume Mukashi Hachijô", which was staged at the Nakamuraza; Tomoemon played the role of the tedai Jôhachi [casting]. 5th lunar month of 1776: Tomoemon played in the same theater the roles of Sagisaka Bannai and Teraoka Heiemon in "Kanadehon Chûshingura". 11th lunar month of 1776: Tomoemon performed at the Moritaza in the kaomise drama "Hikitsurete Yagoe Taiheiki". Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ('About actors prying') was published in Edo. It gave some private information on actors. Edo readers learnt that Tomoemon's yearly salary was 450 ryô and that his wife Omine was the daughter of Taiko no Jûemon (most likely a taiko player). 11th lunar month of 1777: Tomoemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Masakado Kanmuri no Hatsuyuki". 7th lunar month of 1778: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the play "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki"; Tomoemon played the roles of Watanabe Rinzaemon and Kurosawa Kanzô [casting]. 11th lunar month of 1778: Tomoemon performed at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Motomishi Yuki Sakae Hachinoki", which celebrated the shûmei of Yoshizawa Ayame IV and the first stage appearance of Bandô Mitahachi I. 11th lunar month of 1779: Tomoemon performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Azuma no Mori Sakae Kusunoki", which celebrated the shûmei of Azuma Tôzô III and Segawa Otome. 1st lunar month of 1780: Tomoemon's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. 11th lunar month of 1780: Tomoemon performed at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Mure Takamatsu Yuki no Shirahata". 7th lunar month of 1781: Tomoemon appeared on stage for the last time, in Edo at the Ichimuraza, playing the role of Uzura Gonbê in the drama "Muromachi-dono Eiga Butai". He suddenly fell ill and stopped acting. 16th day of the 8th lunar month of 1781 [1]: Tomoemon died in Edo. Comments: Ôtani Tomoemon I was a good jitsuaku and in his latter years oyajigata. He was also a talented shamisen player. [1] The 16th day of the 8th lunar month of the 1st year of the Tenmei era was the 3rd of October 1781 in the western calendar. |
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The Actor Ôtani Tomoemon I as Kawatabiya Mombei in the Play Ôyoroi Ebidô Shinozuka, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1772 The Ôtani Tomoemon line of actors |
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