Stage names:
Nakamura Denkurô I
Nakamura Kanzaburô IV
Nakamura Kantarô I
Line number: SHODAI (I)
Existence: 1662 ~ 25 October 1713
Connections:
Grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô I
Father: Nakamura Kankurô I
Adopted father: Nakamura Kanzaburô III
Younger brother: Nakamura Kanzaburô VI
Sons: Nakamura Niemon, Nakamura Jûsuke I
Adopted son: Nakamura Kanzaburô V
Disciples: Nakamura Kichibei I, Nakamura Minenosuke, Nakamura Dempachi, Nakamura Shiroji
Career:
1662: born in Edo. His father is Nakamura Kankurô I, the elder (and illegitimate) son of Nakamura Kanzaburô I.
Fall 1673: first stage appearance; he receives the name of Nakamura Kantarô I.
August 1674: Nakamura Kanzaburô II dies.
August 1678: Nakamura Kanzaburô III dies. The new name-holder of this line should be Nakamura Kanzaburô III's son Nakamura Takematsu but he is too young to manage the family business and Nakamura Kantarô I has to take the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô IV.
28 December 1682: a fire started by Yaoya Oshichi breaks out in the Daienji Temple in the district of Komagome. It spreads and destroys the Nakamuraza. This fire is nicknamed "Oshichi Kaji" (the "Oshichi fire").
16 December 1683: a fire breaks out in the Nakamuraza and destroys the theater.
January 1684: Nakamura Kanzaburô IV takes the name of Nakamura Denkurô I at the Nakamuraza, playing in the drama "Shuten Dôji Oni Taiji". He entrusts the management of the Nakamuraza to Nakamura Takematsu's care, who takes the name of Nakamura Kanzaburô V in October 1684.
March 1688: Denkurô plays for the first time the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Yakko Asaina Ôiso Gayoi", which is staged at the Nakamuraza.
Mai 1693: Denkurô plays at the Nakamuraza a fox role in the drama "Shinsen Sesshô Seki".
November 1696: Denkurô plays at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Neko no Koneko", commonly called "Onna Narukami". His stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô I, Ogino Sawanojô, Nakamura Shichisaburô I, Ôtani Hiroemon I, Sodeoka Masanosuke II, Murayama Jûheiji and Nakajima Kanzaemon I.
May 1697: Denkurô achieves a great success by playing at the Nakamuraza the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Tsuwamono Kongen Soga". His stage partner in the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune is Ichikawa Danjûrô I.
July 1697: the Nakamuraza has to close and its troupe moves to the Yamamuraza.
November 1697: Denkurô achieves a great success at the Yamamuraza by playing the role of Hirai no Yasumasa in the drama "Wakashu Tanzen Tomo Yakko".
January 1699: Denkurô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior).
January 1700: Denkurô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent). He plays at the Yamamuraza the roles of Kobayashi no Asaina and Soga Gorô Tokimune in the new year drama "Keisei Asamagadake".
Printemps 1704: Denkurô plays at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Shinshun Niwatori Taiheiki".
January 1705: Denkurô plays at the Nakamuraza the roles of Kobayashi no Asaina and the tôfu seller Densuke in the drama "Onna Kudô Yosooi Soga".
November 1707: Denkurô becomes jitsuaku and achieves a great success by playing at the Nakamuraza in the drama "Suô no Naishi Azuma Nishiki".
January 1708: Denkurô plays in the same theater the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the new year drama "Keisei Arashi Soga". The roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari are played by Tomizawa Hanzaburô I and Nakamura Shichisaburô I.
January 1713: Denkurô appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Ôkazari Kanô Soga".
Comments:
Nakamura Denkurô I was an outstanding tachiyaku, who achieved fame for himself in the city of Edo. He formed with Ichikawa Danjûrô I and Nakamura Shichisaburô I a triumvirat of Edo actors, which led Kabuki during the golden years of the Genroku era.
"After Danjûrô and Shichisaburô, the most distinguished actor of this time was Nakamura Denkurô [...]. He was of more aristocratic theatre lineage than the two prominent Edo actors above, for he was no less a personage than the grandson of Saruwaka Kanzaburô. The first Kanzaburô had three sons: the first was the child of a concubine and did not inherit; the second son [...] succeeded as second of the line [...]. He left his name to his younger brother, who became the third head of the family. The son by the concubine was blessed with two sons, and one of them was no other than Nakamura Denkurô, who exercised considerable influence upon Edo Kabuki, establishing traditions that have been handed down to modern times. Denkurô's father, perhaps because of his illegitimacy, never appeared as an actor, but was engaged as an accountant of the Nakamuraza all his life. Nevertheless, it was his son who inherited the theatre genius that might have been expected to appear in the first Kanzaburô's legitimate offspring." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
Nakamura Denkurô I's greatest performance occured in March 1688, at the Nakamuraza. He played for the first time the role of Kobayashi no Asaina in the drama "Yakko Asaina Ôiso Gayoi" and created for this role several great features: a wig (itobin), a make-up (saruguma) and a beard style (kamahige).
"The rôle of Asaina, an historical character, at the Nakamuraza made Nakamura Denkurô famous, and the manner in which he painted his face with broad red lines and the style, colour, and design of his costume have served as a model for all succeeding actors who have essayed this popular rôle. Asaina was a bold warrior of the time when Yoritomo ruled by the sword in Kamakura. Denkurô used Asaina's crest to decorate his stage costume, a crane in a circle, and it has always been preserved, Asaina not being considered by audiences or actors as the real thing unless faithful to all the details of Denkurô's grotesque creation." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
Nakamura Denkurô I portraying Kobayashi no Asaina in a print made by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1862~1863)
Print made by Torii Kiyonobu in 1711
The Nakamura Kanzaburô line of actors and theater managers
The Nakamura Denkurô line of actors