MATSUMOTO HAKUÔ II

Stage names:

Matsumoto Hakuô II In Japanese
Matsumoto Kôshirô IX In Japanese
Ichikawa Somegorô VI In Japanese
Matsumoto Kintarô II In Japanese

Real name: Fujima Teruaki

Guild: Kôraiya

Line number: NIDAIME (II)

Blazons: Yotsu Hanabishi / Fusen Chô

Birthday: 19 August 1942

Connections:

Great-great-grandfather: Nakamura Karoku I

Great-grandfather: Nakamura Karoku III

Grandfathers: Matsumoto Kôshirô VII, Nakamura Kichiemon I

Father: Matsumoto Hakuô I (Kôshirô VIII)

Brother: Nakamura Kichiemon II

Son: Matsumoto Kôshirô X

Grandson: Ichikawa Somegorô VIII

Disciples: Matsumoto Kingo III, Ichikawa Komazô XI, Matsumoto Kôjaku I, Matsumoto Kôjaku II, Matsumoto Kôemon I, Matsumoto Kôemon II, Matsumoto Kôzô I, Matsumoto Kôzô II, Matsumoto Komagorô III, Matsumoto Kôjirô, Matsumoto Kinsei, Matsumoto Takaya, Matsumoto Kinjirô, Matsumoto Kinji

Career:

May 1946: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Tôkyô Gekijô, receiving the name of Matsumoto Kintarô II and playing in the drama "Sukeroku".

December 1946: Kintarô is a member of the Kabuki troupe which celebrates the reopening of the rebuilt Mitsukoshi Gekijô [more details].

27 January 1949: his grandfather Matsumoto Kôshirô VII dies.

September 1949: Ichikawa Somegorô V and his son Matsumoto Kintarô II take the respective names of Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII and Ichikawa Somegorô VI at the Tôkyô Gekijô; the new Somegorô plays the role of the sword-holder and Higuchi Jirô Kanemitsu (tômi) in "Kanjinchô" and "Sakaro".

July 1953: revival at the Meijiza of Kawatake Shinshichi III's 1878 drama "Tsûzoku Saiyûki"; Somegorô plays the role of Mikan [casting].

February 1955: second edition at the Kabukiza from the 24th to the 27th of February of the Tsubomikai, a study group led by Nakamura Utaemon VI [more details]. It included the revival of Sakurada Jisuke I's dance-drama "Kumo no Hyôshimai" (entitled "Waga Sekogakoi no Aizuchi"); Somegorô played the role of a female page (in reality a ground spider) [casting].

February 1960: premiere at the Kabukiza of Uno Nobuo's drama "Shiranui Kengyô"; Somegorô plays the role of Shô-no-Ichi [casting].

July 1963: revival at the Yomiuri Hall in Tôkyô of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Kuwanaya Tokuzô Irifune Monogatari"; Somegorô plays the role of Yamana Tomoenojô [casting].

February 1967: premiere at the Kabukiza of Hagiwara Yukio's dance-drama "Dattan"; Somegorô plays the role of a rengyôshû [casting].

May 1973: revival at the National Theatre of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Horikawa Nami no Tsuzumi" to commemorate the 249th anniversary (250th memorial service) of the playwright; Somegorô plays the role of Ogura Hikokurô [casting].

October 1981: great name-taking ceremony at the Kabukiza for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Kôraiya guild (Kôraiya Sandai Shûmei). Matsumoto Kôshirô VIII retires under the name of Matsumoto Hakuô, his son Ichikawa Somegorô VI takes the name of Matsumoto Kôshirô IX and his grandson Matsumoto Kintarô III becomes Ichikawa Somegorô VII. The new Kôshirô plays the roles of Sukeroku, Matsuômaru and Benkei in the plays "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura", "Terakoya" and "Kanjinchô".

11 January 1982: his father Matsumoto Hakuô dies.

March 2000: an amazing threesome at the Kabukiza for the performance of "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; Kôshirô plays the role of Matsuômaru, with Ichikawa Danjûrô and Onoe Kikugorô in the roles of Umeômaru and Sakuramaru.

November 2000: Kôshirô plays at the National Theatre the roles of Seigen and Gonsuke in Tsuruya Nanboku IV's masterpiece "Sakurahime Azuma Bunshô". His son Ichikawa Somegorô plays the role of princess Sakura.

November 2008: for the very first time in Kabuki history, a novel of Edogawa Rampo is adapted for Kabuki. This play, which is staged at the National Theatre, is based on "Ningenhyô" ('The Were-Panther' in English), a novel with the detective Akechi Kogorô, which was published in 1934; Kôshirô plays the role of Akechi Kogorô [more details].

June 2009: Kôshirô plays at the Kabukiza the role of a parent shishi in the dance-drama "Kadonde Iô Kotobuki Renjishi", which celebrates the debut on stage (hatsubutai) of his grandson Matsumoto Kintarô IV; the roles of the shishi cubs are played by Ichikawa Somegorô VII and Matsumoto Kintarô IV. Kôshirô also plays the roles of Nuregami Chôgorô and Kamiyui Shinza in "Sumôba" and "Kamiyui Shinza".

15 December 2009: Kôshirô joins the prestigious Japan Art Academy (Nihon Geijutsuin).

November 2014: the Annual Festive Face-Showing Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza commemorates the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial service) of the passing away of Matsumoto Hakuô I. His two sons, Kôshirô and Living National Treasure Nakamura Kichiemon, are the zagashira [more details].

January 2018: great name-taking ceremony at the Kabukiza for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Kôraiya guild (Kôraiya Sandai Shûmei); Matsumoto Kôshirô IX, his son Ichikawa Somegorô VII and his grandson Matsumoto Kintarô IV took the names of Matsumoto Hakuô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô X and Ichikawa Somegorô VIII at the Kabukiza; the new Hakuô played the role of Matsuômaru in "Terakoya" [more details].

February 2018: second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza for Matsumoto Hakuô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô X and Ichikawa Somegorô VIII; the new Hakuô played the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in "Gion Ichiriki Jaya" [more details].

April 2018: Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in Nagoya at the newly-built Misonoza (kokera otoshi); the new Hakuô played the roles of Tachibanaya Chôbê and Musashibô Benkei in "Kagotsurube" and "Kanjinchô" [more details].

June 2018: Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza; the new Hakuô played the roles of the patron of the Miuraya and Sôgorô in "Date no Jûyaku" and "Sakanaya Sôgorô" [more details].

July 2018: Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza; the new Hakuô played the role of Kôchiyama Sôshun in "Kôchiyama" [more details].

November 2018: Matsumoto Hakuô II, Matsumoto Kôshirô X and Ichikawa Somegorô VIII celebrated their shûmei in Kyôto at the Minamiza; the new Hakuô played the roles of Banzuiin Chôbê and Togashi Saemon in "Suzu-ga-Mori" and "Kanjinchô" [more details].

April 2019: Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in the central provinces; the new Hakuô played the role of Matsuômaru in "Kurumabiki" [more details].

July 2019: Matsumoto Hakuô II and Matsumoto Kôshirô X celebrated their shûmei in the eastern provinces; the new Hakuô played the role of Nuregami Chôgorô in "Hikimado" [more details].

Comments:

Matsumoto Hakuô II is an amazing tachiyaku and one of the most popular contemporary actors.

Matsumoto Hakuô II's best roles: Musashibô Benkei ("Kanjinchô"), Ôtomo no Kuronushi (" Seki no To"), Kôchiyama Sôshun ("Kôchiyama"), Kumagai Jirô Naozane ("Kumagai Jin'ya"), Higuchi Jirô Kanemitsu ("Hirakana Seisuiki"), Matsuômaru ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami") and Matsunaga Daizen ("Kinkakuji").

Matsumoto Hakuô II playing the role of Benkei in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô"
Print courtesy of Paul Binnie (all rights reserved)

The Matsumoto Kintarô line of actors

The Ichikawa Somegorô line of actors

The Matsumoto Kôshirô line of actors

The Matsumoto Hakuô line of actors

 
Search this site powered by FreeFind
  Site map | Disclaimer
Contact | Main | Top | Updates | Actors | Plays | Playwrights | Programs | Links | FAQ | Glossary | Chronology | Illustrations | Prints | Characters | Derivatives | Theaters | Coming soon | News