Stage names:

Nakamura Kiyosaburô I
Nakamura Kiyosaburô

Other name: Nakamura Kiyosa

Guild: Iseya

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Poetry name: Bunji (?), Kagyô

Existence: 1721 ~ 18th day of the 6th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Sakakiyama Koshirô I's disciple Sakakiyama Yosojûrô

Master: Nakamura Shingorô I

Brother: Nakamura Matsubê I

Son (or adopted son?): Nakamura Kiyosaburô II

Disciples: Nakamura Gonzô I, Nakamura Chônosuke, Nakamura Matsubê II, Nakamura Shirogorô III

Career:

1721 ~ 1732: born in Kamigata. He starts his career at an early age with his younger brother as disciples of the actor Nakamura Shingorô I. He receives the name of Nakamura Kiyosaburô I.

11th lunar month of 1732: he performs as an iroko in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater in the kaomise drama "Hayazaki Kogane no Hanabusa"; his stage partners are Ichiyama Sukegorô I, Arashi Kanshirô I, Fujioka Daikichi, Somenoi Hanshirô, Matsushima Moheiji, Kirinami Takie, Tomizawa Montarô I, Shinozuka Kazaemon and Arashi Koroku I.

11th lunar month of 1734: Kiyosaburô plays in Kyôto at Kameya Kumenojô's theater in the kaomise drama "Oyayuzuri Kogane no Katokugura"; he starts to use an alternative writing for his first name:

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5th lunar month of 1742: Chikamatsu Monzaemon's play "Shinshû Kawanakajima Kassen" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Kyôto at the Kitagawa no Shibai; Kiyosaburô plays the role of Princess Emon [more details].

11th lunar month of 1744: Kiyosaburô becomes zamoto and produces in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the kaomise drama "Hakata Ori Imose no Karanishiki"; his stage partners are Fujioka Daikichi, Tamiya Shirogorô, Matsumoto Tomojûrô I, Sawamura Chôshirô, Sadoshima Chôgorô I, Mihogi Gizaemon I, Nakamura Danzô, Tatsuoka Hisagiku, Sanogawa Hanazuma II, Sakakiyama Danshirô I, Takenaka Heikichi, Ikushima Kashiwagi I, Nakamura Matsubê I and Fujioka Gengorô.

1st lunar month of 1745: Kiyosaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

8th lunar month of 1745: first Kabuki adaptation of Namiki Senryû I, Miyoshi Shôraku and Takeda Koizumo puppet theater drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami", which is produced by Kiyosaburô at Miyako Mandayû's theater; Kiyosaburô plays the role of Okaji [more details].

11th lunar month of 1745: Kiyosaburô produces in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater (the Kitagawa no Shibai) the kaomise drama "Kachidoki Manzairaku"; the leading star of this program is Anegawa Shinshirô I.

2nd lunar month of 1746: Kiyosaburô produces in the same theater the new year drama "Keisei Senri-ga-Kane", in which he plays the role of the courtesan Tôyama (this drama is similar to Chikamatsu Monzaemon's "Keisei Hangonkô").

9th lunar month of 1746: first Kabuki adaptation of Takeda Izumo I, Miyoshi Shôraku, Namiki Senryû I and Takeda Koizumo puppet theater drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami", which is produced by Kiyosaburô at Miyako Mandayû's theater (the Kitagawa no Shibai); Kiyosaburô plays the roles of Tatsuta-no-Mae and an unidentified one [casting].

11th lunar month of 1747: Kiyosaburô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Oriku in the kaomise drama "Teikin Ôrai Manzoku Kagami", which celebrates the shûmei of Sakakiyama Koshirô II and Sakakiyama Shirotarô II.

Fall 1749: Kiyosaburô goes to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1749: Kiyosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza in the kaomise drama "Yoritomo Gunbai Kagami".

22nd day of the 12th lunar month of 1749: his younger brother Nakamura Matsubê I dies in Ôsaka.

1st lunar month of 1750: Kiyosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Yaoya Oshichi in the new year drama "Kayôkami Chidori Soga".

1st lunar month of 1751: Kiyosaburô's rank in the Edo hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1752: Kiyosaburô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1752: the play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, as a kaomise drama, at the Naka no Shibai; Kiyosaburô plays the role of Sugawaradayû [casting].

1st lunar month of 1753: Kiyosaburô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1753: Kiyosaburô goes back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1753: Kiyosaburô plays the role of the courtesan Utamachi at Miyako Handayû's theater in the kaomise drama "Hade Musume Bandachi Yakata", which is produced by Yamashita Ugenta II and celebrates the shûmei of Matsumoto Tomojûrô II.

1st lunar month of 1754: Kiyosaburô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, wakaonnagata section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

Fall 1754: Kiyosaburô goes to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1754: Kiyosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the roles of the courtesan Takasago and the tea-house girl Oroku in the kaomise program "Keisei Asakusa no Kane".

Fall 1758: Kiyosaburô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1758: Kiyosaburô plays at the Kado no Shibai in Namiki Shôzô I's kaomise drama "Arigatashi Fujiwara Keizu".

12th lunar month of 1758: premiere at the Kado no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's ni-no-kawari drama "Sanjikkoku Yofune no Hajimari"; for the very first time in Kabuki history, a mawari-butai, invented by Namiki Shôzô I, was built and used on the stage of a theater [more details]; Kiyosaburô plays the roles of Genpachi's nyôbô Mifune and Mifune's younger sister Ofune.

4th lunar month of 1759: Kiyosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Princess Yuki in the drama "Gion Sairei Shinkôki"; the roles of Matsunaga Daizen and Konoshita Tôkichi are played by Mimasu Daigorô I and Nakayama Bunshichi I.

Fall 1759: Kiyosaburô goes back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1759: Kiyosaburô plays the role of Ofude in the kaomise program "Hônen no Miyako Mutsuki no Kotobuki", which is produced by Sawamura Kunitarô I at the Minamigawa no Shibai; this program also celebrates the shûmei of Nakamura Kichiemon I, Nakamura Jûzô II and Matsuya Shinjûrô.

5th lunar month of 1760: Kiyosaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ohatsu in Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Sonezaki Shinjû"; the role of Hiranoya Tokubê is played by Arashi Sangorô II.

11th lunar month of 1761: he takes back the name of Nakamura Kiyosaburô I, playing the role of Hyôgonoshin's spouse Takemachi in the kaomise drama "Hitomaru Banzei no Utena", which is produced by Nakamura Senzô at the Minamigawa no Shibai; the role of Hasebe Hyôgonoshin is played by Yamamoto Kyôshirô I.

11th lunar month of 1762: Kiyosaburô plays in the kaomise drama "Tenka Taihei Kogane no Kurairi", which is produced by Onoe Montarô and Sawamura Kunitarô I at the Minamigawa no Shibai.

3rd lunar month of 1763: Kiyosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Osono and Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

9th lunar month of 1764: Kiyosaburô plays at the Kitagawa no Shibai the role of Shigenoi in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

1st lunar month of 1767: Kiyosaburô is the kanjiku for wakaonnagata actors in the Kyôto hyôbanki.

11th lunar month of 1767: Kiyosaburô plays in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of the koshimoto Midori [illustration] in the kaomise drama "Shinchoku Fukki no Kanatoko", which is produced by Ichiyama Sukegorô III and celebrates the shûmei of Sakakiyama Koshirô IV and Sakakiyama Shirotarô IV.

Fall 1769: Kiyosaburô goes to Edo with Onoe Kikugorô I, Ôtani Tomoemon I and Onoe Tamizô I.

11th lunar month of 1769: Kiyosaburô plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Tadanobu's wife in the kaomise program "Mutsu no Hana Ume no Kaomise"; the role of Tadanobu is played by Onoe Kikugorô I.

6th lunar month of 1770: Kiyosaburô plays in the same theater the roles of Sagami and the courtesan Sugawaradayû in the drama "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki".

9th lunar month of 1771: Kiyosaburô appears on stage for the last time in Edo, at the Ichimuraza, where he plays the role of Shigenoi in the drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna".

Fall 1771: Kiyosaburô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1771: Kiyosaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Temomutsumajiya Ryûgû no Shimadai", which celebrates the shûmei of Ichikawa Otojûrô, Arashi Bungorô I and Arashi Shichisaburô II.

11th lunar month of 1772: Kiyosaburô moves to the Kado no Shibai and plays in the kaomise drama "Hi-no-Moto Banzei no Hôrai". From the 25th of the 11th lunar month, he plays the role of Matsuômaru's wife Chiyo in the drama "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"; the role of Matsuômaru is played by Nakayama Raisuke I.

11th lunar month of 1774: Kiyosaburô plays at the Naka no Shibai the roles of Osawa and xxx in the drama "Gosho Zakura Horikawa no Youchi".

4th lunar month of 1775: premiere in Ôsaka at the Naka no Shibai of Nagawa Kamesuke I's drama "Hade Kurabe Ise Monogatari"; Kiyosaburô plays the role of Tsunokuni no Onami [more details].

12th lunar month of 1775: Kiyosaburô plays at the Higashi no Shibai (Ôsaka) the roles of Osono and Kanpei in the drama "Suki Utsushi Iroha Butai", whose plot and characters are similar to "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

Fall 1776: Kiyosaburô goes back to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1776: Kiyosaburô appears on stage for the last time, in Kyôto, playing the role of Ise no Saburô's wife Oshizu in the kaomise drama "Saiwai Gura Manpô no Irifune".

18th day of the 6th lunar month of 1777 ^[1]: Kiyosaburô dies in Kyôto.

Comments:

Nakamura Kiyosaburô I was a talented onnagata actor, who made his career from the Kyôhô to the An'ei eras. He excelled in chivalrous women or keisei roles in sewamono dramas. This Kamigata actor was popular not only in Kyôto or Ôsaka, but also in Edo, where he made 3 successful long stays. He reached the honorific jô-jô-kichi rank in 1751 and stayed at this level of fame up to his death in 1777.

[1] The 18th day of the 6th lunar month of the 6th year of the An'ei era was the 22nd of July 1777 in the western calendar.

Nakamura Kiyosaburô I in a print made by Ippitsusai Bunchô in 1770

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Kiyosaburô line of actors