NAKAMURA GANJIRÔ III

Stage names:

Nakamura Ganjirô III
Nakamura Senjaku II

Real name: Hayashi Hirotarô

Guild: Narikomaya

Line number: SANDAIME (III)

Birthday: 31 December 1931

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanjaku III

Grandfather: Nakamura Ganjirô I

Father: Nakamura Ganjirô II

Sons: Nakamura Kanjaku V, Nakamura Senjaku III

Grandsons: Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Toranosuke

Career:

October 1941: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kadoza, receiving the name of Nakamura Senjaku II and playing in the drama "Yamamba".

July 1951: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Jiisan Baasan"; Senjaku plays the role of Kyûya's wife Kiku [casting].

January 1953: Senjaku plays for the first time the role of Ohan in the play "Obiya", which is performed at the Ôsaka Kabukiza.

August 1953: revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû" at the Shimbashi Embujô; Senjaku plays the role of the courtesan Temmaya Ohatsu [more details].

June 1954: Senjaku plays for the first time in Ôsaka the role of the courtesan Ohatsu in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû", which is performed at the Ôsaka Kabukiza; the role of Hiranoya Tokubei is played by Nakamura Ganjirô II.

January 1955: premiere at the Ôsaka Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Naniwa no Ashi"; Senjaku plays the role of Mayumi [casting].

April 1976: revival in 5 acts and 9 scenes the National Theater of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Kinmon Gosan no Kiri"; Senjaku plays the roles of the courtesan Hanatachibana, Ogiku and Mashiba Hisayoshi [casting].

May 1982: foundation of the Chikamatsuza, a touring troupe led by Senjaku and dedicated to the production of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's plays. The first tour presents the play "Shinjû Ten no Amijima", in which Senjaku plays the role of Kamiya Jihei. His stage partners are Sawamura Tôjûrô (Koharu), Nakamura Tomijûrô (Magoemon) and Sawamura Tanosuke (Osan).

October 1983: second Chikamatsuza tour in Tôkyô, Ôsaka and Kôbe. Senjaku produces Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Komochi Yamamba" in which he plays the roles of Oginoya Yaegiri and Yamamba.

May 1984: third Chikamatsuza tour in Tôkyô and Ôsaka; Senjaku produces Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Onna Goroshi Abura no Jigoku", in which he plays the role of Yohei.

September 1985: fourth Chikamatsuza tour in 6 cities; Senjaku produces Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Meido no Bikyaku", in which he plays the role of Kameya Chûbei.

November 1990: Nakamura Senjaku II takes the name of Nakamura Ganjirô III at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Fujiya Izaemon and the spirit of the lion in the play "Kuruwa Bunshô" (the "Yoshidaya" scene) and the dance "Kagami Jishi". His stage partner in the role of Yûgiri in the "Yoshidaya" scene is Onoe Baikô VII.

December 1990: Ganjirô celebrates his second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Kamiya Jihei and Tsuchiya Chikara in the dramas "Shinjû Ten no Amijima" (the "Kawashô" scene) and "Tsuchiya Chikara". His stage partner in the role of Kinokuniya Koharu in the "Kawashô" scene is Nakamura Utaemon VI.

January 1991: Ganjirô celebrates his first month of shûmei in Ôsaka at the Nakaza, playing the roles of Tsuchiya Chikara, the spirit of the Lion and Kamiya Jihei in the drama "Tsuchiya Chikara", the dance "Kagami Jishi" and Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Shinjû Ten no Amijima" (the "Kawashô" scene). His stage partner in the role of Kinokuniya Koharu in the "Kawashô" scene is Nakamura Utaemon VI.

February 1991: Ganjirô celebrates his second month of shûmei at the Nakaza, playing the roles of Kameya Chûbei, the snake disguised as the dancing girl Hanako and the hair-dresser Sanigoroshichi (in fact Asaka Yoichirô Haruyoshi) in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai" (the "Fûin Giri" scene), the dance "Musume Dôjôji" and the drama "Kari no Tayori". The role of the courtesan Umegawa in the "Fûin Giri" scene is played by Kataoka Hidetarô.

October 1991: Ganjirô celebrates his shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza, playing the role of a little girl, Jûbei and the spirit of the Lion in the dance "Tenaraiko", the "Numazu" scene of the drama "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku" and the dance "Kagami Jishi". The roles of Heisaku and Oyone in the "Numazu" scene are played by Nakamura Tomijûrô and Sawamura Tôjûrô.

November 1991: Ganjirô celebrates his first month of shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza, playing the roles of Kamiya Jihei and Fujiya Izaemon in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Shinjû Ten no Amijima" (the "Kawashô" scene) and in the drama "Kuruwa Bunshô" (the "Yoshidaya" scene). His stage partners in the roles of the courtesans Kinokuniya Koharu ("Kawashô") and Yûgiri ("Yoshidaya") are Kataoka Hidetarô and Onoe Baikô VII.

December 1991: Ganjirô celebrates his second month of shûmei at the Minamiza, playing the roles of Kameya Chûbei and the snake disguised as the dancing girl Hanako in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai" (the "Fûin Giri" scene) and the dance "Musume Dôjôji". The role of the courtesan Umegawa in the "Fûin Giri" scene is played by Nakamura Hirotarô.

1994: Ganjirô receives the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (ningen kokuhô in Japanese).

June 1998: great revival of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Mibu Dainenbutsu" for the 14th Chikamatsuza tour. This plays has not been performed for 296 years !

March 2000: 15th Chikamatsuza tour; Ganjirô produces the "Fûin Giri" scene of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ôrai".

May ~ June 2001: Chikamatsuza tour and several Kabuki seminars in England. Ganjirô and his 2 sons (Kanjaku and Senjaku) play in "Tsuri Onna" and "Sonezaki Shinjû".

June 2003: two-week Chikamatsuza tour in Moscow and St. Petersburg (Russia). Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû" is performed with Ganjirô and his son Nakamura Kanjaku in the roles of Temmaya Ohatsu and Hiranoya Tokubei. "It is very rewarding to perform in Russia, a country full of theater lovers," Ganjirô said to some journalists.

May 2004: 3-day Chikamatsuza tour in Beijing (China) with Nakamura Kanjaku and Nakamura Kikaku. The program is made up of the dances "Tachi Nusubito" and "Fuji Musume". Ganjirô plays the role of the Wisteria Maiden in the latter dance.

April 2005: Chikamatsuza tour in Korea with Nakamura Kanjaku and Nakamura Kikaku. The program is made up of the dance "Bô Shibari" and Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû"; Ganjirô plays the role of Temmaya Ohatsu in the latter drama [more details].

June 2005: Chikamatsuza tour in the USA with Nakamura Kanjaku and Nakamura Kikaku. The program is made up of the dance "Bô Shibari" and Chikamatsu Monzaemon's masterpiece "Sonezaki Shinjû"; Ganjirô plays the role of Temmaya Ohatsu in the latter drama [more details].

Comments:

Nakamura Ganjirô III is an outstanding wagotoshi / onnagata and one of the very few actors to preserve the great tradition of the Kamigata Kabuki.

Nakamura Ganjirô III's best roles: Ohatsu ("Sonezaki Shinjû"), Kamiya Jihei/Koharu ("Shinjû Ten no Amijima" ), Kameya Chûbei/Umegawa ("Fûin Giri"), Oginoya Yaegiri ("Komochi Yamamba"), Kamiya Jihei ("Kuruwa Bunshô"), Kuzu-no-Ha ("Ashiya Dôman Ôuchi Kagami"), Yuranosuke/Kampei/Tonase/Okaru ("Kanadehon Chûshingura"), Yae/Sakuramaru ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), Jûjibei ("Hikimado"), Jûbei ("Numazu"), Danshichi Mohei ("Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa") and Rôben ("Rôben Sugi no Yurai")

Nakamura Ganjirô will take the name of Sakata Tôjûrô IV in 2005.

The Nakamura Ganjirô line of actors