Kanze Hisao (観世寿夫)
Hisao KANZE (November 12, 1925 - December 7, 1978) was a Nohgakushi (Noh actor) playing shite (principal roles) of Kanze-ryu school.
The oldest son of Tetsunojo KANZE, the seventh (also known as Gasetsu). After the war, he interacted with actors other than Noh actors by participating in group of Noh Renaissance, Hana no kai (group of flower) and Mei no kai (group of dark), and also played an important role in the study of the records of oral teachings by Zeami. One of the accomplishment of his study is included in "Yugen-Hisao KANZE's world" (Libroport, 1980), compiled by Moriaki WATANABE. His younger brothers were Hideo KANZE and Tetsunojo KANZE (the eighth).
Timeline
1929 (aged 4): Debuted in 'Shojo' (a kind of Japanese sea spirit with red face and hair and a fondness for alcohol), a Shimai (Noh dance in plain clothes). 1932 (aged 7): Performed shite in 'Tsunemasa' for the first time. 1940 (aged 15): Dropped out of Keio Futsubu School and performed wearing a Noh mask for the first time in 'Tomoe' (three ways). 1942 (aged 17): Met Mario YOKOMICHI. 1944 (aged 19): Called himself Seiju. 1946 (aged 21): The first Tessenkai study group. 1949 (aged 24): Established the 'group of traditional arts' and returned his name to Hisao.
1950 (aged 25): Joined the 'group of Noh Renaissance.'
1953 (aged 28): Formed 'Hana no kai' with Hideo and Shizuo. Married Hiroko FUSE.
1954 (aged 29): A Noh play was performed for the first time at the International Theatre Festival in Venice. 1955 (aged 30): Appeared in 'Tsuki ni tsukareta piero' (Pierrot Lunaire), a mime act of Arnold Schoenberg, directed by Tetsuji TAKECHI. 1956 (aged 31): Tessenkai's stage in Aoyama was completed and performed hiraki (a well-trained actor, whose skills reach a certain level, performs a special program with the permission of the grand master of the school). 1958 (aged 33): Divorced. 1959 (aged 34): Kasetsu KANZE died. 1960 (aged 35): Created and performed in Sogetsu contemporary at the Sogetsu Art Theater. 1962 (aged 37): Went to France as a French government-invited foreign student, and studied under Jean-Louis Barrault. 1964 (aged 39): Married Aiko FUKUSHIMA (divorced in 1968). 1969 (aged 44): Married Hiroko SEKI. 1970 (aged 45): Formed 'Mei no kai' and became the representative. 1971 (aged 46): Performed the main role in the first performance of the Mei no kai, 'Oedipus Tyrannus,' directed by Hideo KANZE. 1972 (aged 47): Performed in 'Agamemnon,' a play of Mei no kai, translated and directed by Moriaki WATANABE. 1974 (aged 49): Performed in 'The Trojan Woman,' a play of Mei no kai, directed by Tadashi SUZUKI.
Authors
Kokoro yori kokoro ni tsutauru hana (flowers brought by heart to heart), Hakusuisha Publishing Co., Ltd., 1979 (later published by Hakusui U books)
Four volume of Kanze Hisao chosakushu (Writings of Hisao KANZE), Heibon-sha, 1980-1981
Kanze Hisao Zeami wo yomu (Hisao KANZE reads Zeami) (edited by Tatsuko OGIWARA), Heibonsha library, 2001