| NAKAMURA UTAEMON V |
|
Stage names:
Guild: Narikomaya Line number: GODAIME (V) Existence: 29th day of the 12th lunar month of 1865 ~ 12 September 1940 Connections: Adoptive father: Nakamura Shikan IV Sons: Nakamura Fukusuke V, Nakamura Utaemon VI Grandson: Nakamura Shikan VII Great-grandsons: Nakamura Fukusuke IX, Nakamura Shikan VIII Great-great-grandsons: Nakamura Kankurô VI, Nakamura Shichinosuke II, Nakamura Kotarô VI, Nakamura Hashinosuke IV, Nakamura Fukunosuke III, Nakamura Utanosuke IV Great-great-great-grandsons: Nakamura Kantarô III, Nakamura Chôzaburô II Disciples: Nakamura Takesaburô V, Nakamura Baika III, Nakamura Tamatarô II, Nakamura Nakasuke III, Nakamura Kan'emon III, Nakamura Fukuen, Nakamura Kamenojô Career: 12th lunar month of 1865: born in Tôkyô in the district of Honjo. His father is a government official. January 1875: he is adopted by the actor Nakamura Shikan IV, who gives him the name of Nakamura Kotarô I. June 1876: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Hototogisu Date no Kikigaki"; Kotarô plays the role of Tsuruchiyo [casting]. August 1876: Kotarô plays in the city of Kôfu at the Kameya the role of Komakichi in the drama "Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba". April 1877: Kotarô plays for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Shintomiza, where he plays the role of Koshirô in the drama "Moritsuna Jin'ya". October 1877 ~ April 1881: long tour with his adoptive father all over Japan. May 1881: Nakamura Kotarô I takes the name of Nakamura Fukusuke IV at the Shintomiza. November 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's zangirimono drama "Shima Chidori Tsuki no Shiranami"; Fukusuke plays the role of the Fukushimaya musume Onaka [casting]. January 1884: Fukusuke plays for the first time the prestigious role of Akoya in the drama "Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki", which is staged at the Ichimuraza. November 1884: premiere at the Saruwakaza of Kawatake Mokuami's katsureki drama "Hôjô Kudai Meika no Isaoshi"; Fukusuke plays the role of Hôjô Takatoki's mistress Kinugasa [casting]. February 1885: Fukusuke takes part in the opening ceremony of the Chitoseza [info]. November 1885: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's Nagauta-based matsubamemono "Funa Benkei"; Fukusuke plays the role of the boatman Mondo Iwamatsu [casting]. May 1888: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's drama "Kagotsurube Sato no Eizame"; Fukusuke plays the role of the courtesan Yatsuhashi [casting]. September 1889: première at the Chitoseza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's Tokiwazu-based dance-drama "Kumo no Ito Oyozume Banashi"; Fukusuke plays the role of Usui Sadamitsu [more details]. September 1891: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi Ôchi's drama "Zôho Onna Narukami"; Fukusuke plays the role of the ama Narukami (in reality Matsunaga's daughter Hatsuse-no-Mae) [more details]. October 1892: premiere at the Kabukiza of the matsubamemono "Suô Otoshi", starring Ichikawa Danjûrô IX and Fukusuke in the roles of Tarôkaja and the Princess. November 1893: Fukusuke takes part in the opening ceremony of the Meijiza [info]. April 1897: premiere at the Kabukiza of Fukuchi Ochi's drama "Otokodate Harusame Gasa"; Fukusuke played the role of the keisei Katsuragi [more details]. 16 January 1899: his adoptive father Nakamura Shikan IV dies. January 1900: premiere at the Kabukiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's dance-drama "Yami no Ume Hyaku Monogatari"; Fukusuke plays the role of a yuki onna [more details]. May 1901: Nakamura Fukusuke IV takes the name of Nakamura Shikan V at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri". October 1902: premiere at the Kabukiza of Enokido Kenji's drama "Ninjô Banashi Bunshichi Mottoi"; Shikan plays the role of the Kadoebi Brothel madam Okoma [casting]. March 1903: premiere at the Kabukiza of the drama "Kichirei Soga no Ishizue", which is produced to celebrate the shûmei of Onoe Kikugorô VI, Onoe Baikô VI and Onoe Eizaburô VI; Shikan plays the role of Ôiso no Tora [casting]. February/March 1904: successful premiere at the Tôkyôza of Tsubouchi Shôyô's drama "Kiri Hitoha"; Shikan plays the role of Yodogimi [more details]. March 1906: Tsubouchi Shôyô's drama "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu" is produced for the first time in Tôkyô, at the Tôkyôza; Shikan plays the role of Yodogimi [casting]. November 1908: revival at the Kabukiza of the Kabuki Jûhachiban drama "Kagekiyo"; Shikan plays the role of Chichibu no Shôji Shigetada [casting]. November 1911: Nakamura Shikan V takes the name of Nakamura Utaemon V at the Kabukiza, playing the leading role of the prestigious dance "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji". November 1918: premiere at the Shintomiza of Matsui Shôyô's drama "Yodogimi"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). June 1921: premiere at the Shintomiza of Takayasu Gekkô's drama "Daigo no Haru"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). October 1921: premiere at the Kabukiza of Okamoto Kidô's drama "Ôsakajô"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). February 1922: premiere at the Shintomiza of Yamazaki Shikô's drama "Hatsushiraga"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). March 1923: premiere at the Hongôza of Matsui Shôyô's drama "Satsuma no Yodogimi"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). April 1926: premiere at the Kabukiza of Matsui Shôô's drama "Yodogimi Odawara-jin"; Utaemon plays the leading role of Lady Yodo (Yodogimi). April 1932: premiere at the Kabukiza of Mayama Seika's drama "Yoritomo no Shi"; Utaemon plays the role of Lady Masako [casting]. January 1933: Utaemon plays at the Kabukiza the role of the villain Kiyohara no Takehira in the drama "Shibaraku". 1 August 1933: his elder son Nakamura Fukusuke V dies. May 1936: Utaemon plays at the Kabukiza the role of Ishikawa Goemon in the drama "Sanmon Gosan no Kiri"; the role of Mashiba Hisayoshi is played by Onoe Kikugorô VI. 24 October 1936: erection in the precinct of the Honmonji Temple (Tôkyô) of a memorial stone dedicated to Nakamura Utaemon III. January 1937: Utaemon plays at the Kabukiza the role of Fujiwara no Shihei in the "Kurumabiki" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". His stage partners are Onoe Kikugorô VI (Matsuômaru), Ichimura Uzaemon XV (Sakuramaru) and Matsumoto Kôshirô VII (Umeômaru). 14 June 1937: he receives at his Sendagaya home the visit of the famous conductor Felix Weingartner, who is on tour in Japan. April 1939: Utaemon sells his Sendagaya home and settles in the district of Takanawa. May 1939: Utaemon appears on stage for the last time, at the Kabukiza, playing the role of Yodogimi in the drama "Kiri Hitoha". Comments: Nakamura Utaemon V was one of the best onnagata actors of the first half of the twentieth century. He was the first in this prestigious line of actors to focus on female roles but kept on performing important male roles belonging to the line, like the king of thieves Ishikawa Goemon ("Sanmon"). One of his best roles was Lady Yodo (Yodogimi) in several Shinkabuki dramas written for him. He gathered them from 1921 in a special collection of plays, which was called Yodogimishû and included "Kiri Hitoha", "Hototogisu Kojô no Rakugetsu", "Yodogimi", "Daigo no Haru", "Ôsakajô" or "Yodogimi Odawara-jin". His others best roles are Princess Yaegaki ("Jusshukô"), Princess Toki ("Kamakura Sandaiki"), Masaoka ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"), Agemaki ("Sukeroku") and Tonase ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"). In his latter years, he terribly suffered because of lead poisoning.
Nakamura Utaemon V playing the role of Masaoka in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" Print made by Toyohara Kunichika in 1897 Print made by Kôchôrô Hôsai in 1901 Print made by Ôta Masamitsu in 1950 The Nakamura Kotarô line of actors The Nakamura Fukusuke line of actors The Nakamura Shikan line of actors The Nakamura Utaemon line of actors |
|
|
| Contact | Main | Top | Updates | Actors | Plays | Playwrights | Programs | Links | FAQ | Glossary | Chronology | Illustrations | Prints | Characters | Derivatives | Theaters | Coming soon | News |