The eighth annual instalment of NHK Enterprises' Gei-no-Shinzui (Essence of Art) summer kabuki gala, to be staged August 22 at the National Theatre in Tokyo, will star Living National Treasure Sakata Tojuro IV, one of those rare actors as famed for his portrayals of men as for his prowess as an onnagata (male actor of female roles).
After decades working as Nakamura Ganjiro III, the Osaka native born into the venerable Nakamura kabuki family as Hirotaro Hayashi, adopted his current stage name in 2005, so reviving a prestigious lineage after a 230-year lapse.
Now 82, Tojuro learned the basics of classical Japanese acting under a leading director and critic named Tetsuji Takechi (1912-88), with whom he studied elocution, timing and movement in the performing arts of kabuki, bunraku (traditional puppet theater) and noh. Then, following his stage debut at age 9 in 1941, he was also taught by Inoue Yachiyo IV (1905-2004), a renowned mistress of Kyomai (Kyoto-style traditional dance).
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.