| ÔTANI TOMOEMON IV |
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Stage names:
Guild: Akashiya Line number: YODAIME (IV) Existence: 1791 ~ 6th day of the 1st lunar month of 1861 [1] Connections: Master: Ôtani Tomoemon II Son: Ôtani Hiroji V Disciple: Ôtani Bajû V Career: 1791 ~ 1830: born in Ôsaka. He was the son of the playwright Dekishima Sensuke. He started his career as a disciple of the actor Ôtani Tomoemon II, who gave him the name of Ôtani Fukuzô and trained him in the Kamigata theaters. He took the names of Ôtani Mansaku I and Ôtani Rakuen at unknown dates. 24th day of the 3rd lunar month of 1830 [2]: his master Ôtani Tomoemon II died. Fall 1831: he settled in Edo. 11th lunar month of 1831: Ôtani Rakuen took the name of Ôtani Tomoemon IV at the Kawarasakiza, performing in the drama "Matsu o Chikara Tomoe no Fujinami". Interesting to note that 1 month earlier, in the 9th lunar month of 1831, the actor Arashi Shagan IV, another disciple of late Ôtani Tomoemon II, took the name of Ôtani Tomoemon III in Ôsaka. These 2 actors used the same acting name in 2 different cities (an extremely rare case in Kabuki history). Ôtani Tomoemon IV and Ôtani Tomoemon III were nicknamed respectively 'Edo Tomoemon' and 'Kamigata Tomoemon'. 11th lunar month of 1834: Tomoemon played at the Moritaza 3 roles in the drama "Hana to Mitsu Yuki no Shiraishi". 7th lunar month of 1835: Tomoemon played for the first time the role of the villain Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura", which was staged in Edo at the Nakamuraza; his stage partners were Matsumoto Kôshirô V (Tôma Saburôemon), Bandô Hikosaburô IV (Hayase Iori, Ningyôya Kôemon) and Ichikawa Kumetarô (Hayase Genjirô). 4th lunar month of 1836: premiere at the Moritaza of the drama "Hakkenden Uwasa no Takadono"; Tomoemon played the roles of Makuwari Taiki Tsunetake, the shôya Hikiroku and Konaya Bungobei [casting]. 1839: tour in Sendai. 5th day of the 11th lunar month of 1839 [3]: Ôtani Tomoemon III died in Ôsaka. 1842: Tomoemon went back to Kamigata. 5th lunar month of 1843: Tomoemon played at the Kado no Shibai the role of Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura", which was produced by the zamoto Onoe Waichi; his stage partners were Onoe Tamizô II (Tôma Saburôemon, Ningyôya Kôemon and Hayase Iori) and Nakamura Kashichi III (Hayase Genjirô). 7th lunar month of 1843: Tomoemon played at the Minamigawa no Shibai (Kyôto) the roles of Tôma Saburôemon and Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Onoe Tamizô II (Ningyôya Kôemon, Hayase Iori) and Onoe Umezô (Hayase Genjirô). 1st lunar month of 1845: Tomoemon was back in Edo; he performed at the Kawarasakiza in the new year sogamono drama "Sakigake Genji Soga no Tehajime", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Shinsha I. 4th lunar month of 1848: Tomoemon played at the Kawarasakiza the role of Adachi Motoemon in the 9 acts drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Bandô Hikosaburô IV (Hayase Iori, Ningyôya Kôemon), Bandô Takesaburô I (Hayase Genjirô), Matsumoto Kinshô I (Tôma Saburôemon, Kyôya Mansuke, Adachi Yasuke) and Onoe Baikô IV (Somenoi). 2nd lunar month of 1851: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Sakurada Jisuke III's Kiyomoto-based dance "Akegarasu Hana no Nureginu", commonly called "Urazato Tokijirô"; Tomoemon played the role of Yamanaya Shirobê [casting]. 1st lunar month of 1852: premiere at the Ichimuraza of Sakurada Jisuke III's drama "Satomi Hakkenden"; Tomoemon played the roles of the shôya Hikiroku and Konaya Bungobei [casting]. 9th lunar month of 1853: Tomoemon played at the Ichimuraza the roles of Onoemon and the villain Kyôgoku no Takumi in the drama "Kana Kyôdai Musume no Adauchi" (similar to the famous play "Hikosan Gongen Chikai no Sukedachi"); the roles of Rokusuke and Osono were played by Arashi Kichisaburô III and Nakamura Tomijûrô II. 3rd lunar month of 1854: premiere at the Kawarasakiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Miyakodori Nagare no Shiranami"; Tomoemon played the role of the evil masseur Ushiichi [casting]. 6th lunar month of 1854: Tomoemon played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Adachi Motoemon and Kyôya Mansuke in the 7 acts drama "Tengajaya-mura"; his stage partners were Arashi Rikan III (Hayase Iori, Ningyôya Kôemon), Bandô Takesaburô I (Hayase Genjirô), Ichikawa Kodanji IV (Tôma Saburôemon, Adachi Yasuke), Kawarasaki Gonjûrô I (Hazue) and Bandô Shûka I (Somenoi, Otoki). 1857: tour in the provinces of Suruga and Ise with his son Ôtani Tomomatsu. Spring 1859: Tomoemon performed in Nagoya in the precincts of the Seijuin temple. It was most likely his last stage appearance because his name did not appear anymore in any banzuke. 6th day of the 1st lunar month of 1861 [1]: Tomoemon died in Ôsaka [4]. Comments: Ôtani Tomoemon IV was a Katakiyaku who gained fame thanks to his incredible performance in the role of the villain Adachi Motoemon in the drama "Katakiuchi Tengajaya-mura". He was also famous for being quarrelsome when drunk and had troubles with many others actors but became more reasonable from the time his son Ôtani Tomomatsu started to appear on stage. [1] The 6th day of the 1st lunar month of the 2nd year of the Man'en era was the 15th of February 1861 in the western calendar. [2] The 24th day of the 3rd lunar month of the 13th year of the Bunsei era was the 16th of May 1830 in the western calendar. [3] The 5th day of the 11th lunar month of the 10th year of the Tenpô era was the 10th of December 1839 in the western calendar. [4] Ôtani Tomoemon IV's tombstone was located in the cemetery of the Yûkôji temple in the district of Shimoteramachi. |
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Ôtani Tomoemon IV in the role of Adachi Motoemon in the play "Katakiuchi Tengajaya-mura" in a print made by Utagawa Yoshitora The Ôtani Tomoemon line of actors |
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