Stage names:
Kawarazaki Gonjûrô III
Kawarazaki Gonzaburô IV
Kawarazaki Kaoru
Real name: Nagatani Masakazu
Guild: Yamazakiya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Existence: 1918 ~ 18 February 1998
Connections:
Father: Kawarazaki Gonjûrô II
Brother: Kawarazaki Gonzaburô III
Career:
1918: born in Nagoya.
April 1935: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Shinjuku Daiichi Gekijô, receiving the name of Kawarazaki Kaoru.
May 1946: Kawarazaki Kaoru takes the name of Kawarazaki Gonzaburô IV.
May 1956: Kawarazaki Gonzaburô IV takes at Kabukiza the name of Kawarazaki Gonjûrô III by playing the roles of Tarôkaja and Mimbu in the dance-drama "Migawari Zazen" and the jidaimono "Kenuki".
June 1959: Gonjûrô plays at the Tôyoko Hall the role of Tôkichi in the drama "Kinkakuji". His stage partners in the roles of Matsunaga Daizen and Princess Yuki are Ichikawa Danshirô III and Sawamura Tosshô V.
1960: Gonjûrô becomes zagashira of the Tôyoko Kabuki troupe, based in the Tôyoko Hall in the district of Shibuya (Tôkyô).
March 1967: revival at the National Theater of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Gunji Masakatsu; Gonjûrô plays the roles of Awazu Shichirô and Sentarô [casting].
April 1967: revival at the National Theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Yari no Gonza Kasane Katabira"; Gonjûrô plays the role of Kawazura Bannojô [casting].
1976: Gonjûrô replaces the star Onoe Shôroku II in the leading role of Shakespeare's "Othello".
December 1979: Gonjûrô receives the National Theater Excellence Prize (Kokuritsu Gekijô Yûshûshô) for his performance in the role of Gonshirô in the play "Hirakana Seisuiki".
June 1981: Gonjûrô plays at the National Theater the role of Tsuribune Sabu in the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami". His stage partners are Onoe Tatsunosuke I (Danshichi Kurobei), Sawamura Sôjûrô IX (Otatsu) and Ichikawa Ginnosuke I (Issun Tokubei).
January 1983: revival of "Nanatsu Men" at the National Theater; Gonjûrô plays the role of Hatakeyama Shigetada [casting].
January 1984: historic revival at the National Theater of the play "Sankai Nagoya" in which Gonjûrô plays the role of Kigusuriya Heiji's wife Otsune [casting].
Comments:
Kawarazaki Gonjûrô III was a versatile and talented actor, who played both onnagata or tachiyaku roles.
He played from 1960 to 1966 many leading roles in a small theater named Tôyoko Hall and located in the district of Shibuya in Tôkyô: Saitô Bettô Sanemori ("Sanemori Monogatari"), Fukuoka Mitsugi ("Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba"), Gorozô ("Soga Moyô Tateshi no Goshozome"), Yosaburô ("Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi"). Because of the close association of these roles with the star Ichikawa Ebizô IX (Ichikawa Danjûrô XI), Gonjûrô was nicknamed "Shibuya no Ebisama" ("Shibuya's Ebizô").
Kawarazaki Gonjûrô III's best roles: Yatagorô Genshichi ("Kamiyui Shinza"), Kôbei ("Benten Kozô"), Yashio ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi"), Ikyû ("Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura"), Gonshirô ("Hirakana Seisuiki"), Yazaemon ("Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura").
Kawarazaki Gonjûrô III playing the role of Sashichi in the drama "Omatsuri Sashichi" in a print made by Tsuruya Kôkei in June 1987
Print courtesy of Castle Fine Arts, Inc. (all rights reserved)
The Kawarazaki Gonjûrô line of actors