Stage names:
Matsumoto Hakuô
Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII
Ichikawa Somegorô V
Matsumoto Sumizô II
Guild: Kôraiya
Existence: 7 July 1910 ~ 11 January 1982
Connections:
Father: Matsumoto Kôshirô VII
Father-in-law: Nakamura Kichiemon I
Brothers: Ichikawa Danjûrô XI, Onoe Shôroku II
Sons: Matsumoto Kôshirô IX, Nakamura Kichiemon II
Grandson: Ichikawa Somegorô VII
Career:
January 1925: first stage appearance under the name of Matsumoto Sumizô II.
April 1931: Matsumoto Sumizô II takes the name of Ichikawa Somegorô V.
January 1949: his father Matsumoto Kôshirô VII dies.
September 1949: Ichikawa Somegorô V takes the name of Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Benkei and Higuchi Jirô Kanemitsu in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô" and the "Sakaro" scene of the jidaimono "Hirakana Seisuiki".
July 1953: premiere at the Meijiza of Hôjô Hideji's drama "Ukifune"; Kôshirô plays the role of Kaoru [casting].
July 1956: revival at the Kabukiza of the michiyuki "Chô no Michiyuki", in which Kôshirô plays the role of Sukekuni; the role of Komaki is played by Nakamura Utaemon VI.
November 1959: revival at the Kabukiza of Tsuruya Namboku IV's masterpiece "Sakura Hime Azuma Bunshô", which is supervised by Mishima Yukio; Kôshirô plays the roles of the priest Seigen, Tsurigane no Gonsuke and Shinobu no Sôta [casting].
March 1961: the actors Kôshirô, Ichikawa Chûsha VIII and Nakamura Shikaku II sign exclusive contracts with the Tôhô and leave the Shôchiku.
December 1966: second month of the opening ceremony of the National Theater with the full length performance of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Kôshirô plays the role of Matsuômaru [casting].
1975: Kôshirô receives the prestigious title of Living National Treasure (ningen kokuhô in Japanese).
October 1981: great shûmei at the Kabukiza for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Kôraiya guild (kôraiya sandai shûmei); Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII, Ichikawa Somegorô VI, Matsumoto Kintarô III, Ichikawa Nakanosuke III and Ichikawa Momomaru respectively take the names of Matsumoto Hakuô, Matsumoto Kôshirô IX, Ichikawa Somegorô VII, Matsumoto Kôemon and Ichikawa Shinsha II.
Comments:
Matsumoto Hakuô was the leading tachiyaku of the postwar decades and the worthy heir of both his father Matsumoto Kôshirô VII and his father-in-law Nakamura Kichiemon I. He was also very active in modern or Western productions, especially during his years at the Tôhô.
Matsumoto Hakuô's best roles: Matsuômaru ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), Kumagai Jirô Naozane ("Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki"), Higuchi Jirô Kanemitsu ("Hirakana Seisuiki"), Sekibei/Ôtomo no Kuronushi ("Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To"), Jûbei (Tsuta Momiji Utsunoya Tôge).
Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII playing the role of Matsuômaru in the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" (print made by Ôta Masamitsu in 1955)
Print made by Ôta Masamitsu in 1955
The Ichikawa Somegorô line of actors
The Matsumoto Kôshirô line of actors