Ichikawa Danjūrō IX
| Ichikawa Danjūrō IX 九代目市川團十郎 |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Hideshi Horikoshi(堀越 秀) 29 November 1838 Sakai-cho district, Edo, Japan |
| Died | 13 September 1903 (aged 64) Tokyo, Japan |
| Other names | Kawarasaki Sanshō, Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII, Kawarasaki Gonjūrō I, Kawarasaki Chōjūrō III, Ichikawa Jukai II |
Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (九代目 市川 團十郎 Kudaime Ichikawa Danjūrō?, 29 November 1838 - 13 September 1903) was one of the most successful and famous Kabuki actors of the Meiji period (1868–1912).
Ninth in the line of actors to hold the name Ichikawa Danjūrō, he is depicted in countless ukiyo-e actor prints (yakusha-e), and is widely credited with ensuring Kabuki stayed vibrant and strong as Japan struggled with modernization and Westernization.
According to one scholar,
Ichikawa Danjūrō, the ninth, was the torch-bearer of Kabuki during the long reign of the Emperor Mutsuhito, known as the Meiji era, which endured for forty-five years (1868-1912). Danjūrō, the ninth, was the bridge that spanned the sudden gulf which yawned between the traditional past and the uncertain and changing modern world. He may be regarded as the saviour of Kabuki during a period when it might have suffered shipwreck, had there not been a man of genius at the helm to guide the craft through the troubled waters.
Like most Kabuki actors, Danjūrō IX was called by a number of different stage names at different points in his career. "Ichikawa Danjūrō" is traditionally a name earned at the climax of one's career, and kept until retirement. Prior to being granted that name, he was known as Kawarasaki Sanshō, Kawarasaki Gonnosuke VII, Kawarasaki Gonjūrō I, Kawarasaki Chōjūrō III, and Ichikawa Jukai II.
Fifth son of Ichikawa Danjūrō VII, Danjūrō was a direct descendant of the first to hold the name Ichikawa Danjūrō. He had six brothers in Kabuki: Danjūrō VIII, Ebizō VII, Ebizō VIII, Ichikawa Komazō VI, Ichikawa Saruzō I, and Ichikawa Kōzō. He was adopted by Kawarazaki Gonnosuke VI, and was the father-in-law of Ichikawa Danjūrō X. Danjuro had two daughters, Ichikawa Suisen II and Ichikawa Kyokubai II, and a granddaughter, Ichikawa Suisen III. Though women were banned from performing in kabuki, they took part in the theater, playing very minor roles and as stagehands.
...
Wikipedia