Difference between revisions of "Michael Williams"

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===Opera and Musicals===
 
===Opera and Musicals===
  
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He wrote book and lyrics for the Stephenson musicals ''[[Who Killed Jimmy Valentine?]]'', ''[[Animals]]'', ''[[Wonderfully Wicked]]'' which have toured theatres throughout South Africa. In 2017, his musical ''[[Tiger Bay The Musical]]'', commissioned by the Wales Millennium Centre, opened at [[Artscape]] in Cape Town and transferred to the Donald Gordon Theatre in Cardiff.
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He has written the book and lyrics or libretti for the following musicals and operas:
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* ''[[Enoch, Prophet of God]]'' (music by [[Roelof Temmingh]], 1995)
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* ''[[Sacred Bones]]'' (music by [[Roelof Temmingh]], 1997)
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* ''[[Buchuland]]'' (music by [[Roelof Temmingh]], 1998)
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* ''[[Who Killed Jimmy Valentine?]]'' (music by Alan Stephenson)
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* ''[[Animals]]'' (music by Alan Stephenson), ''[[Wonderfully Wicked]]'' (music by Alan Stephenson)
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* ''[[Love and Green Onions]]'' (music by Weale)
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* ''[[The Orphans of Qumbu]]'' (music by .  
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* ''[[Tiger Bay The Musical]]'' (music by , 2017)
  
 
He has written operas for young people based on African mythology (published by [[Heinemann Press]] in the anthology ''South African Operas for Young People''), as well as the libretti for symphonic operas that have premiered around the world.  
 
He has written operas for young people based on African mythology (published by [[Heinemann Press]] in the anthology ''South African Operas for Young People''), as well as the libretti for symphonic operas that have premiered around the world.  
  
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He wrote the libretti for several symphonic operas with [[Roelof Temmingh]] which premiered in opera houses in Pretoria, Windhoek, and Cape Town. Among them: 
 
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* ''[[Enoch, Prophet of God]]'' (1995)
 
  
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* ''[[Sacred Bones]]'' (1997)
 
  
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* ''[[Buchuland]]'' (1998)
 
  
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He wrote the lyrics for a jazz opera, ''[[Love and Green Onions]]'' (Weale) based on [[Zakes Mda]]’s novel ''Ways of Dying'' which was invited to open the [[National Arts Festival]] in Grahamstown.
 
  
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He wrote the libretto for ''[[The Orphans of Qumbu]]''.
 
  
 
NorlandOperan in Sweden commissioned and produced two of his operas ''[[Poet and Prophetess]]'' (Larsson-Gothe, 2008) and ''[[The Elephant Man]]'' (Unander-Scharin).  
 
NorlandOperan in Sweden commissioned and produced two of his operas ''[[Poet and Prophetess]]'' (Larsson-Gothe, 2008) and ''[[The Elephant Man]]'' (Unander-Scharin).  

Revision as of 16:22, 19 February 2024

Michael Williams (1962-) is an arts administrator, and the authors of plays, musicals, operas and novels.

Biography

Michael started his opera career working as an Assistant Director for New Sadler’s Wells Opera in London, touring productions throughout the UK. He returned to South Africa and worked for Cape Town Opera for the next twenty years as head of Outreach, opera director, General Manager and finally as Managing Director. He moved to Buxton, England in 2018 and, asof 2024, is Chief Executive Officer of the Buxton International Festival.

Training

Career

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

As administrator

He was Managing Director of Cape Town Opera.

As writer

Opera and Musicals

He has written the book and lyrics or libretti for the following musicals and operas:

He has written operas for young people based on African mythology (published by Heinemann Press in the anthology South African Operas for Young People), as well as the libretti for symphonic operas that have premiered around the world.




NorlandOperan in Sweden commissioned and produced two of his operas Poet and Prophetess (Larsson-Gothe, 2008) and The Elephant Man (Unander-Scharin).

He wrote the book and lyrics for Mandela Trilogy (Van Dijk/Campbell) which toured to theatres in Ravenna, Munich, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Southampton, Dublin, Cardiff, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Plays

He began writing radio plays while studying at University of Cape Town. His plays include:

  • Water Carriers (performed in theatres in Indianapolis, Brooklyn and New York)

Other works

Williams had his first novel published when he was twenty-five years old. He is a prize-winning author of thirteen novels, including the highly praised young adult novel Crocodile Burning.

Awards

Sources

Buxton International Festival Website, https://buxtonfestival.co.uk/about-us/team

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4906950.Michael_Williams

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