Stage names:
Ôtani Hiroemon III
Ôtani Kunizô I
Guild: Surugaya
Line number: SANDAIME (III)
Poetry names: Jicchô, Banfû
Existence: 1726 ~ 14 September 1790
Connections:
Master: Ôtani Hiroji II
Son: Ôtani Kunizô II
Career:
1750: disciple of the star Ôtani Hiroji II, he starts to perform katakiyaku roles, playing under the name of Ôtani Kunizô I.
June 1757: his master Ôtani Hiroji II dies.
January 1758: Kunizô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ômi no Kotôta at in the drama "Kujûsanki Ôyose Soga".
November 1761: Kunizô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Musashi no Saemon in the kaomise drama "Nihongahana Hôgan Biiki".
November 1762: Ôtani Kunizô I takes the name of Ôtani Hiroemon III at the Nakamuraza, playing in the kaomise drama "Nagi no Ha Izu no Sugatami".
November 1764: Hiroemon plays at the Moritaza 2 roles in the drama "Gyosei Kanatami no Megumi".
May 1769: Hiroemon plays at the Moritaza the role of Abe no Munetô in the drama "Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara". His stage partners are Sakata Sajûrô I (Abe no Sadatô) and Iwai Hanshirô IV (Sodehagi).
November 1769: Hiroemon plays at the Moritaza the role of Taira no Kiyomori in the drama "Nani Takashi Kumoi no Yumihari".
November 1774: Hiroemon plays 3 roles in the Moritaza kaomise drama "Ichi no Tomi Tsuki no Kaomise".
Summer 1777: the book "Yakusha Sensakuron" ("About actors prying") is published in Edo. It gives some private information on actors. Edo readers learn that Hiroemon lives with his spouse Osumi and his son Kanematsu in the district of Hasegawa-Chô and his annual salary is 650 ryô.
July 1778: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the play "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki"; Hiroemon plays the roles of Nikki Danjô and Hanyûmura Kingorô [casting].
March 1779: Hiroemon plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the villain Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Sato no Yozakura". The roles of Sukeroku, Agemaki and the sake seller Shimbei are played by Ichikawa Monnosuke II, Iwai Hanshirô IV and Matsumoto Kôshirô IV.
November 1780: Hiroemon plays the role of Taira no Kiyomori in the Nakamuraza kaomise drama "Kite Kaeru Nishiki no Wakayaka".
January 1783: Hiroemon plays at the Nakamuraza in the new year drama "Edo no Hana Mimasu Soga".
1783 ~ 1784: Hiroemon settles in Ôsaka and is about to perform in a play produced by the zamoto Fujikawa Kikumatsu but he suddenly falls ill and is replaced by his son, an actor playing under the name of Nakamura Shinji.
November 1784: Hiroemon is back in Edo; he plays at the Nakamuraza in the kaomise drama "Ôakinai Hiru-ga-Kojima".
November 1787: Hiroemon plays the roles of Asahara Hachirô and Miura no Yasumura in the Kiriza kaomise drama "Sanga no Shô Mutsu no Hanayome".
March 1790: Hiroemon appears on stage for the last time, at the Ichimuraza, in the drama "Hana Miyage Mokuboji no Yurai".
Spring 1790: Hiroemon goes to Ôsaka, falls seriously ill and dies in September.
Comments:
Ôtani Hiroemon III was a good katakiyaku actor, specialized in jitsuaku roles. He did not reach the jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) level in the Edo hyôbanki but his best rank was not very far from it. Touring in Kamigata was not a good thing for this actor, who tried twice and fell seriously ill each time just after his arrival. The second trip was fatal.
Ôtani Hiroemon III in a print made by Katsukawa Shunshô
The Ôtani Hiroemon line of actors