Guy Davenport

Dramatist, translator/librettist

By the end of 2009, Guy Davenport has written English translations of the libretti of 11 operas for Opera South, some performing editions in collaboration with a production's director or musical director. These are: Offenbach’s La Périchole (dialogue by Ian Gledhill), von Flotow’s Martha, Donizetti’s The Elixir of love, Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl in collaboration with Tom Hawkes Bizet’s Djamileh (also performed by Opera Pittsburgh in October 2008), Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Gounod’s Faust, Adolphe Adam’s Si J’étais Roi, Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda, Moniuszko’s Verbum Nobile and Weber’s Abu Hassan. In 2008 he adapted Many of the translations have been in collaboration with Tom Higgins.

For the Haslemere Thespians, Guy has written several pantomimes. His direction credits include Downing’s The House of Dracula, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Aladdin.