Renjishi - Lion Dance

Kabuki dance. Nagauta. Written by Kawatake Mokuami. The name comes from the alternate form of the Noh play "Stone Bridge." It was first performed in May 1861 (Bunkyu 1) by Kineya Katsusaburo II, and choreographed by Hanayagi Jusuke I for his son Yoshijiro's debut dance. Kineya Shojiro III expanded and recomposed the piece, and it was performed at the Murayamaza Theater in Tokyo in May 1872 (Meiji 5). The former is called "Katsusaburo Renjishi" and the latter "Shojiro Renjishi", and when this was performed by Ichikawa Ennosuke (the 2nd Danshiro) and Ichikawa Somegoro (the 7th Matsumoto Koshiro) at the Tokyoza in February 1901 (Meiji 34), the current form as a Matsubamemono was established with additional work by Takeshiba Shinkichi. Based on the metaphor of a parent lion pushing its baby lion into a valley for training, the play begins with two kyogen actors holding hand lions, and later the parent and baby lions in Noh costumes perform a heroic kurui.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)舞踊。長唄(ながうた)。河竹黙阿弥(もくあみ)作。能『石橋(しゃっきょう)』の替(かわり)の型からの名称で、1861年（文久1）5月、2世杵屋勝三郎(きねやかつさぶろう)が作曲、初世花柳寿輔(はなやぎじゅすけ)が子芳次郎(よしじろう)の名披露目(なびろめ)に振付けして、素踊りで演じたのが最初。これを増補し、3世杵屋正治郎(しょうじろう)が作曲し直して72年（明治5）5月、東京・村山座で上演。前者を「勝三郎連獅子」、後者を「正治郎連獅子」といい、これをさらに1901年（明治34）2月、東京座で市川猿之助（2世段四郎）と市川染五郎（7世松本幸四郎）が上演したとき、竹柴晋吉(たけしばしんきち)の加筆により、松羽目(まつばめ)物としての現行の形式が定まった。親獅子が訓練のため子獅子を谷へ突き落とすという比喩(ひゆ)をテーマにしたもので、初め手獅子を持った狂言師2人が踊り、のちに能装束の親子の獅子で勇壮なクルイを見せる。

［松井俊諭］

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