Matsumoto Hakuo I
Encyclopedia
, born , was a Japanese
Kabuki
actor, regarded as the leading tachiyaku
(specialist in male roles) of the postwar decades; he also performed in a number of non-kabuki venues, including Western theatre and films. Taking the name Hakuō upon retirement, he was known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII for much of his career.
) over the course of his career. A member of the Koraiya guild, he would often be called by that name, particularly in the practice of yagō
, in which an actor's guild name is shouted out as a cheer or encouragement during a performance. Originally appearing on stage as Matsumoto Sumizō II, he later took the names Ichikawa Somegorō V and Matsumoto Kōshirō
VIII.
and son-in-law of Nakamura Kichiemon I
, the man who would later be called Hakuō was born into the kabuki world, and grew up in it. His brothers, Ichikawa Danjūrō XI and Onoe Shōroku II
, were actors, as are his sons, Nakamura Kichiemon II
and Matsumoto Kōshirō IX
, and his grandson Ichikawa Somegorō VII.
(naming ceremony) a few months later, becoming the eighth Matsumoto Kōshirō. The ceremony was held at the Kabuki-za
in Tokyo, and featured the play Kanjinchō
, in which Kōshirō VIII played Benkei and Higuchi Jirō Kanemitsu.
Kôshirô was named a Living National Treasure (Japan)
in 1975, a rare and very illustrious honor awarded to those who embody, promote, and preserve traditional culture. He retired six years later, in 1981, taking on the name Hakuō in retirement and passing on the name Kōshirō to his son.
Hakuō died the following year, on 11 January 1982.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
Kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
actor, regarded as the leading tachiyaku
Tachiyaku
' is a term used in the Japanese theatrical form kabuki to refer to young adult male roles, and to the actors who play those roles. Though not all tachiyaku roles are heroes, the term does not encompass roles such as villains or comic figures, which form their own separate categories...
(specialist in male roles) of the postwar decades; he also performed in a number of non-kabuki venues, including Western theatre and films. Taking the name Hakuō upon retirement, he was known as Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII for much of his career.
Names
Like most Kabuki actors, Hakuō had a number of stage names (gōArt-name
An art-name is a pseudonym, or penname, used by an East Asian artist, which they sometimes change. The word and the idea to use a pseudonym originated from China, then became popular in other East Asian countries ....
) over the course of his career. A member of the Koraiya guild, he would often be called by that name, particularly in the practice of yagō
YAGO
YAGO was an early LAN startup acquired by Cabletron Systems in the mid-1990s, fueling its growth into Gigabit Ethernet switching and ultimately being re-spun off into the entity Riverstone Networks....
, in which an actor's guild name is shouted out as a cheer or encouragement during a performance. Originally appearing on stage as Matsumoto Sumizō II, he later took the names Ichikawa Somegorō V and Matsumoto Kōshirō
Matsumoto Koshiro
Matsumoto Kōshirō is the stage name of a line of kabuki actors in Japan. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family....
VIII.
Lineage
The son of Matsumoto Kōshirō VIIMatsumoto Koshiro VII
Matsumoto Kōshirō VII was one of the leading tachiyaku Kabuki actors of Japan's Meiji period through the late 1940s.-Names:...
and son-in-law of Nakamura Kichiemon I
Nakamura Kichiemon I
was a Japanese actor and kabuki performer. In 1945, he became the senior living kabuki actor in Japan.Kichiemon construed his career in terms of "lifelong study" of that which cannot be seen in an actor's performance....
, the man who would later be called Hakuō was born into the kabuki world, and grew up in it. His brothers, Ichikawa Danjūrō XI and Onoe Shōroku II
Onoe Shoroku II
Onoe Shoroku II is the stage name for Yutaka Fujima a Japanese kabuki actor who specialized in female roles....
, were actors, as are his sons, Nakamura Kichiemon II
Nakamura Kichiemon II
is a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He is a so-called Living National Treasure.Nakamura Kichiemon is a formal kabuki stage name. The actor's grandfather first appeared using the name in 1897; and Nakamura Kichiemon I continued to use this name until his death...
and Matsumoto Kōshirō IX
Matsumoto Koshiro IX
is a Japanese kabuki actor, one of the most popular tachiyaku currently performing.Like many members of the kabuki community, he can trace his lineage back several generations, many members of his family being kabuki actors as well...
, and his grandson Ichikawa Somegorō VII.
Life and career
After making his first stage appearance in 1925, at the age of fifteen, under the name Matsumoto Sumizō II, he took the name Ichikawa Somegorō V in 1931. In 1949, when Somegorō was 39, his father, Kōshirō VII, died, and the actor took his father's name at a shūmeiShumei
Shūmei are grand naming ceremonies held in Kabuki theatre. Most often, a number of actors will participate in a single ceremony, taking on new stage-names....
(naming ceremony) a few months later, becoming the eighth Matsumoto Kōshirō. The ceremony was held at the Kabuki-za
Kabuki-za
' in Ginza was the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional kabuki drama form.-Architecture:The original Kabuki-za was a wooden structure, built in 1889 on land which had been either the Tokyo residence of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto, or that of Matsudaira clan of Izu.The building was...
in Tokyo, and featured the play Kanjinchō
Kanjincho
Kanjinchō is a Japanese kabuki play by Namiki Gohei III, based on the Noh play Ataka. It is one of the most popular plays in the modern kabuki repertory....
, in which Kōshirō VIII played Benkei and Higuchi Jirō Kanemitsu.
Kôshirô was named a Living National Treasure (Japan)
Living National Treasure (Japan)
is a Japanese popular term for those individuals certified as by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as based on Japan's...
in 1975, a rare and very illustrious honor awarded to those who embody, promote, and preserve traditional culture. He retired six years later, in 1981, taking on the name Hakuō in retirement and passing on the name Kōshirō to his son.
Hakuō died the following year, on 11 January 1982.
See also
- Matsumoto KōshirōMatsumoto KoshiroMatsumoto Kōshirō is the stage name of a line of kabuki actors in Japan. Most of these were blood relatives, though some were adopted into the family....
- line of kabuki actors