NAKAMURA TSURUSUKE V

Stage names:

Nakamura Tsurusuke V
Nakamura Hashigorô
Nakamura Baishi
Nakamura Hashinosuke II

Real name: Ôzeki Ichiji

Guild: Kagaya

Poetry name: Baishi

Line number: GODAIME (V)

Existence: 1846 ~ 25 September 1892

Connections:

Great-grandfathers: Nakamura Utaemon III, Nakamura Tôzô I

Grandfathers: Nakamura Tôzô II, Kagaya Hashinosuke I

Father: Nakamura Shikan III

Brother: Nakamura Tamashichi I

Disciple: Nakamura Tomijûrô III

Career:

1846 ~ 1871: born in Ôsaka.

2nd day of the 11th lunar month of 1847^[1]: his father Nakamura Shikan III died.

He started his career at an early age and quickly became the zagashira of a troupe of children-actors (kodomo shibai). He successively took the names of Nakamura Hashinosuke II, Nakamura Baishi and Nakamura Hashigorô at unknown dates and performed in miyaji shibai or koshibai.

3rd lunar month of 1871: he took the name of Nakamura Tsurusuke V at the Chikugo no Shibai, playing several roles in the drama "Appare Chûshin Homare no Ishizue".

October 1873: Tsurusuke settled in Tôkyô and achieved a great success at the Nakamuraza by performing in the drama "Katakiuchi Kameyama Shinbun"; his stage partners were Onoe Kikugorô V, Kawarasaki Sanshô, Nakamura Shikan IV, Iwai Hanshirô VIII and Sawamura Tosshô II.

January 1877: Tsurusuke played at the Harukiza the roles of Wada no Hyôe Hidemori and Hojô no Tokimune in the classic "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata".

September 1877: Tsurusuke performed in the same theater in the drama "Yagura Daiko Narita no Adauchi".

January 1878: Tsurusuke performed in the same theater in the drama "Matsu Kazari Otakara Sugoroku".

March 1881: premiere at the Shintomiza of Kawatake Mokuami's masterpiece "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana"; Tsurusuke played the role of Izumiya Seibê [casting].

1887: Tsurusuke went back to Kamigata, travelling with the actor Nakamura Sôjûrô.

July 1887: Tsurusuke performed at the Minamigawa no Shibai in the drama "Genpei Nunobiki no Taki".

October 1887: Tsurusuke took part in the opening ceremony of the Naniwaza in Ôsaka (this theater was previously called Ebisuza), performing in the dramas "Utsunomiya Kabuki Tatemae" and "Chigusa no Aki Saga no Tsukikage"; his stage partners were Nakamura Ganjirô I, Nakamura Sôjûrô, Nakamura Jakuemon II, Nakamura Shibajaku III and Arashi Kichisaburô V.

September 1888: Tsurusuke performed at the Naka no Shibai in the drama "Nikai Gasa Yagyû Nikki".

8 October 1889: his mentor Nakamura Sôjûrô died; later, Tsurusuke joined the troupe led by Kataoka Gatô III.

September 1891: Tsurusuke performed at the Kado no Shibai in the drama "Miyako Kurenai Asahi no Irodori".

25 September 1892: Tsurusuke died in his house, in Ôsaka in the district of Minami-Shinmachi. His tombstone is said to be in the precinct of the Shôbôji Temple in the district of Teramachi in Ôsaka.

Comments:

Nakamura Tsurusuke V was a Kamigata actor able to play tachiyaku and katakiyaku roles. He was a specialist of wajitsu roles in sewamono dramas. He was the heir of a prestigious family of actors but he could not benefit from the experience of his father Nakamura Shikan III. He spent a few successful years in Tôkyô but his fame did not really grow when he went back to his native Kamigata.

[1] The 2nd day of the 11th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kôka era was the 9th of December 1847 in the western calendar.

Nakamura Tsurusuke V

The Nakamura Hashinosuke line of actors

The Nakamura Tsurusuke line of actors