Adapting Shakespeare's 'Antony and Cleopatra' for opera
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Author
Lucia Scheckner
Get an insider's look at adapting a Shakespeare play for opera with this blog post by the dramaturg and libretto consultant for the new John Adams opera of "Antony and Cleopatra."
John Adams Gives Antony and Cleopatra the Operatic Treatment
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Adams talks with host Barbara Bogaev about how he turned a five-act play into a two-act opera—which scenes got the hook, new lines written in the style of the Bard, and what Shakespeare may have thought of the play’s characters.
The Queen of the Night: The infinite variety of Cleopatra
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Author
Georgianna Ziegler
In the image above, Constance Collier, magnificent as the dying Cleopatra, sits on her throne in a dimly-lit room, light sparkling off her crown, belt and spangled train. This 1906-07 London production of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra is considered a…
Snakes on a Stage: Behind the Scenes with Tony Koehler
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Folger Theatre
Props master Tony Koehler returns to the Folger Spotlights to talk about the foresight needed to bring a fortune teller to life, how to make a bed (from scratch), and, of course, the trial-and-error involved in creating a number of venomous co-stars.
Cleopatra and Fake News: How ancient Roman political needs created a mythic temptress
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Author
Jacquelyn Williamson
The Roman distaste of powerful women, their misunderstanding of the Egyptian way of life, and Octavian’s political need to consolidate his rise to dictator created our image of Cleopatra today.
As the (Ancient) World Turns: Tony Cisek on designing Antony and Cleopatra's set
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Author
Folger Theatre
Scenic designer Tony Cisek speaks to The Folger Spotlight about his inspirations for Antony and Cleopatra's set and returning to an in-the-round configuration.
Before you come see the show, read Folger Dramaturg Michele Osherow's thoughts on how Shakespeare's tragedy encompasses the public and private desires of history's infamous pair of lovers.
Rome’s encounter with Egypt in Antony and Cleopatra
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Author
Shakespeare & Beyond
In this excerpt from "Shakespeare’s Roman Trilogy," Paul Cantor writes about the Romanization of Egypt and the Egyptization of Rome in "Antony and Cleopatra."
The cast of Antony and Cleopatra comes together in September, but before they do, let's meet the talented actors who will be bringing this complex, political romance to the Folger stage in October.
The sultry D.C. summer is winding down, but things are just heating up at Folger Theatre where we're preparing for our first show of the season: Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra.
The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 Author James Shapiro’s new book The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606 considers the period when the playwright wrote three of his greatest tragedies, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. Dr. Shapiro…
