Bando Tamasaburo V
Encyclopedia
is a Kabuki
actor, and the most popular and celebrated onnagata
(an actor specializing in female roles) currently on stage. He has also acted in a handful of films.
Born in 1950, Shin'ichi Morita was adopted by Morita Kan'ya XIV
, and made his first appearance on stage at the age of seven, under the name Bandō Kinoji. At a shūmei
(naming ceremony) in 1964 he became the fifth to take the name Bandō Tamasaburō; his adopted father had been the fourth.
Like all kabuki actors, Tamasaburō has devoted his life to the theater from a very young age. By 1975, when Morita Kan'ya XIV died, Tamasaburō had already performed in countless plays, many of them alongside his adopted father and other noteworthy actors such as Ichikawa Danjūrō XII
. Since then, he has continued to perform, not only in numerous plays at the Kabuki-za
in Tokyo, but in many other venues. He took part in an American tour in 1985, performing at New York's
Metropolitan Opera House
, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and in Los Angeles
as well; he would perform in Paris
the following year.
In 1993, he directed the film Yearning
, which was entered into the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival
.
Tamasaburō has also appeared in a number of films and special dance performances such as BESETO in 2001, which celebrated the entertainment traditions of China, Korea, and Japan. In 1996, he collaborated with Yo-yo Ma
and performed at the Suntory Hall
in Tokyo, dancing dramatically to Johann Sebastian Bach
's "Suite No. 5 for Unaccompanied Cello." He directed the Kodo
One Earth Tour Special in 2003 as well as performed alongside the taiko
drummers in 2006, as part of Kodo's 25th anniversary celebration.
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, and the most popular and celebrated onnagata
Oyama (Japanese theatre)
Onnagata or oyama , are male actors who impersonate women in Japanese kabuki theatre. The modern all-male kabuki was originally known as yarō kabuki to distinguish it from earlier forms...
(an actor specializing in female roles) currently on stage. He has also acted in a handful of films.
Born in 1950, Shin'ichi Morita was adopted by Morita Kan'ya XIV
Morita Kanya XIV
' was a Japanese kabuki actor. He was a tachiyaku actor , specializing in playing the roles of young, handsome lovers in the wagoto style, a type of role known as nimaime...
, and made his first appearance on stage at the age of seven, under the name Bandō Kinoji. At a shūmei
Shumei
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) in 1964 he became the fifth to take the name Bandō Tamasaburō; his adopted father had been the fourth.
Like all kabuki actors, Tamasaburō has devoted his life to the theater from a very young age. By 1975, when Morita Kan'ya XIV died, Tamasaburō had already performed in countless plays, many of them alongside his adopted father and other noteworthy actors such as Ichikawa Danjūrō XII
Ichikawa Danjuro XII
is a Japanese actor. He is the twelfth kabuki actor to hold the illustrious name Ichikawa Danjūrō.He is the eldest son of Ichikawa Danjūrō XI. He first appeared on stage in 1953 under his birth name Natsuo Horikoshi, and in 1958 took the name Ichikawa Shinnosuke...
. Since then, he has continued to perform, not only in numerous plays 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, but in many other venues. He took part in an American tour in 1985, performing at New York's
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Metropolitan Opera House
Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)
The Metropolitan Opera House is an opera house located on Broadway at Lincoln Square in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the theater opened in 1966. It replaced the former Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th St...
, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as well; he would perform in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
the following year.
In 1993, he directed the film Yearning
Yearning (1993 film)
Yearning is a 1993 Japanese drama film directed by Bandō Tamasaburō V. It was entered into the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Sayuri Yoshinaga as Onami* Kyoko Kataoka as Kaede* Kirin Kiki as Omatsu* Toshiyuki Nagashima as Odabe...
, which was entered into the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival
43rd Berlin International Film Festival
The 43rd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 11 to 22, 1993.-Jury:* Frank Beyer * Juan Antonio Bardem* Michel Boujut* François Duplat* Katinka Faragó* Krystyna Janda* Naum Kleiman* Brock Peters...
.
Tamasaburō has also appeared in a number of films and special dance performances such as BESETO in 2001, which celebrated the entertainment traditions of China, Korea, and Japan. In 1996, he collaborated with Yo-yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
and performed at the Suntory Hall
Suntory Hall
The Suntory Hall is a concert hall complex consisting of the "Main Hall" and the "Small Hall" located in the Ark Hills complex, near the U.S. Embassy and TV Asahi in the Akasaka district of northern Minato, a ward in Tokyo, Japan...
in Tokyo, dancing dramatically to Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's "Suite No. 5 for Unaccompanied Cello." He directed the Kodo
Kodo (taiko group)
is a professional taiko drumming troupe. Based on Sado Island, Japan, they have had a role in popularizing taiko drumming, both in Japan and abroad...
One Earth Tour Special in 2003 as well as performed alongside the taiko
Taiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
drummers in 2006, as part of Kodo's 25th anniversary celebration.