First KABUKI
My heart is filled with the sadness of the autumn dusk.
This is Akane from Japan.
This year is already almost over, and the atmosphere makes me feel even more sad and impatient.
This time, in response to a request from my friend Mika in Seattle
I'd like to write about the first time I saw Kabuki.
I was still in high school when I saw my first Kabuki play.
I was still in high school when I saw my first Kabuki play, and I fondly remember leaving the school cleaning early and running to the theater.
There was a gorgeous performance going on at the time, too good to be my first time.
As I mentioned in a previous article, there is a culture in the world of classical performing arts called "襲名"shu-mai.
In the world of classical performing arts, there is a culture called "shu-mai", which means to pass on an important name.
At that time, there is a great deal of excitement and the performance is chosen to be appropriate for the celebration.
After cleaning up, I got off at the nearest station and headed for the theater, where I reached my first theater.
The building was already dark (the lights were off), and I slipped in just as the show was about to start and took my seat in the third row next to my mother.
I was seated in the third row next to my mother. The name of the actor was "Ebizo Ichikawa.
The Ichikawa family has the trade name "Naritaya.
The name "Narita-ya" is derived from the name of the business that the actors used to run as both actors and businessmen.
The name of the house is used by professionals who are accustomed to watching kabuki, commonly known as "Omukou", when they perform the "mieki", or "performance" of a kabuki play.
That feeling of the stage and audience becoming one can only be experienced in a theater.
Each house name has its own family tradition, and Narita-ya's is called
Each house has its own family tradition, and Narita-ya's has been designated as the "Eighteenth Kabuki Play.歌舞伎十八番
The most spectacular of them all, Sukeroku yukari No Edo Zakura, 助六縁江戸桜was the first kabuki play I ever saw.
Set in the Edo Yoshiwara district, it is a stylish and gallant play based on revenge.
When I opened the fixed curtain, which was painted with three colors alternating vertically, I found that the stage was covered with a lattice of bengara, which is characteristic of a brothel.
The red of Kabuki is truly beautiful, and I remember how it made my heart dance.
When the main actor, Shin Ebizo, came out through the narrow aisle called Hanamichi, it was as if a flower was in full bloom, and the museum was filled with beauty.
When Sukeroku, played by Ebizo, came out in front of the stage, he started to argue with Sukeroku's rival, Ikyu.
Sukeroku is so popular that many prostitutes leave him kisser (cigarettes) as love letters.
But none of them come to Ikyu...
This is a very amusing scene.
Then Sukeroku's lover, a courtesan named Agemaki-san, appears on stage to add to the splendor of the play.
The costumes, wigs, and everything else for the courtesan weighed about 50 kilograms, so I remember thinking that this was a job for men.
The first time I saw a Kabuki performance, I was instantly taken aback by the rich colors of the backdrop, props, and costumes, the shimmering beauty of the wigs, the seven-five syllables of the dialogues, the live musical accompaniment from the shamisen and black curtain, and the daiyo I mentioned earlier.
It was a moment when I keenly realized that the Kabuki stage is filled with not only the actors, but also all the luxury and opulence.
For me, still a high school student, it was filled with everything that would change my life.
Afterwards, I finished watching the play and waited for the actors to come out while my heart was still hot and excited.
And then I had my picture taken with the actors, who were very beautiful, and I thought it was a dream, which now makes me smile a little at my old self.
Since then, Kabuki has supported me all my life, and I have been able to meet many people.
It is truly a wonderful classical art form.
I hope that everyone will be able to see it.
That's it for today.
初めまして。ミカさんの友達です。 ローラと呼ばれています。 私自身、１０年後、初めて歌舞伎を見たことの思い出を持っています。
ReplyDeleteI saw Kabuki for the first time in October 2012. I've been attending Western performing arts for my entire life, with Opera being a particular favourite - I thought nothing could make me feel as strongly as opera does. But Kabuki makes an equally strong impression on me, both in terms of artistic impression and in terms of the emotions it evokes. At the time, I knew nothing about kabuki itself, but I'd like to think that I had seen enough musical theatre and professional dance that I could appreciate that I was seeing a true master of stagecraft. One actor made a particular impression on me: his performance during a farewell scene truly broke my heart, and the strength of that impression remained with me.
Some years later, during my next opportunity to see Kabuki, I learned that that actor, Ichikawa Danjuro XII, had in fact been critically ill during that performance. That role was the last he would perform in his hometown - he would perform again two months later in Kyoto, and pass away the following February. So, in a very real sense, his farewell in the play was also a farewell to the theatre that had been his home and family his entire life. That I had the opportunity to be part of it was a true privilege.
These days, I make a point of seeing his son, Ichikawa Ebizo, act in films - I haven't had the opportunity to see him perform kabuki yet. I think he shares some of his father's intensity. I hope I have the opportunity to watch him continuing his family's legacy on stage one day.
Thanks for your comment, Lawler. Nice to meet you!
DeleteWelcome to my blog.
Opera is also a very wonderful integrated art form. When I worked on Madame Butterfly once, I was struck by the beautiful and sad story.
The real art always touches my heart.
Laura's story reminded me of Danjuro's intense struggle with illness. He had leukemia.
Even in his younger days, it was not smooth sailing, and he lived a humble life, always questioning himself about his great responsibility and the status of the name Danjuro.
It was very nostalgic and reminded me of a story I had forgotten, thank you.
Seeing his father, his son, Ebizo, seems to be planning to renew Kabuki.
返事が遅くなってごめん！
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this story. When I read it, I could tell how much you love Kabuki and how happy it makes you.
I know very little about Kabuki. I sometimes watch the show "kabuki kool" on NHK. It explains the different stories in kabuki. But there is so much more to Kabuki than only the stories.
In your post you explained a lot of things I didn't know before. Thank you!
What I like the most about your story of the first time you went to kabuki are the feelings you explain what it was like when the curtains open. I think that is something that you can only feel once. When you said the red of Kabuki made your heart dance, it made me so happy to read. That is such a powerful image. Do you still feel this way when you see it?
When I think of Kabuki I picture the actors in their costumes, wigs, and make-up. I hope that one day I can go to Kabuki so that I can better understand the importance of everything on the stage.
It is hard to believe that the costumes, wigs, and everything else weighs over 50kg! That’s so heavy, even for a man. That is very impressive.
助六縁江戸 sounds like a very interesting! I read more about it after reading your post yesterday.
Do you think that it was this trip to see kabuki that made you want to be tokoyama? How often were you able to see kabuki after the first time?
-mika
Thank you, Mika, for providing the subject matter!
DeleteI got to trip back in time too, ruminating on all the fun memories! It was a very wonderful time.
I've heard of Kabuki cool.
Was Ainosuke kataoka on it?
In my opinion, the common videos and instructional books about Kabuki are completely incomprehensible and do not get the point across to a beginner's mind.
The best part of kabuki is that it is a drama of people's lives portrayed by real people, whether it involves worldly turmoil or history.
It may be important to tell the story according to the rules of the house or according to the chronology of the time period, but most people get the impression that it's more difficult than interesting because it's so focused on that.
Now let's answer the question!
I still get excited when the curtain opens.
I still get excited when the curtain opens, because everything in every play is never the same. The story, the cast, the place, the time, my state of mind... everything is different, and I am thrilled by the atmosphere of each encounter.
The reason why actors are able to show off their talents on stage is because of the hundreds of professionals who work behind the scenes to carry out their jobs.
I would like everyone to know how wonderful this is.
Here's a bit of trivia about Sukeroku.
The inari-san of sushi is called "Agemaki". And Norimaki is a set of sushi rolls. The Norimaki is called Sukeroku, and the two are often paired together, which is said to come from the two Sukeroku Yukarino Edo Sakura!
Yes, I had read beforehand that wigs were beautiful, but when I saw the wigs illuminated by the proofs on stage, and the actors wearing them, I was sure I thought, 'There is nothing more beautiful than this.
Each wig is custom-made to fit the actor's face and head, so no two are alike, and each wig is tied in a different way.
It's a very deep world.
See you soon!