Martin David Anson Duncan (born 12 July 1948) is an English director, actor, composer, and choreographer. Duncan was artistic director of the

Nottingham Playhouse Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in 1948 when it operated from a former cinema in Goldsmith Street. Directors during this period included Val May and F ...

from 1994 to 1999 and joint artistic director of the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin ...

from 2003 to 2005 with Ruth Mackenzie and Steven Pimlott. He has composed the musical scores for over 50 theatre productions. After training at the

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal i ...

, Duncan began his career in repertory theatre in 1968. He continued to act on stage and screen until the late 1980s, becoming a director of theatre and opera. His many opera productions include performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Scottish Opera,

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in Englis ...

Glyndebourne Festival Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an annual opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England. History Under the supervision of the Christie family, the festival has been held annually since 1934, e ...

, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich and the

Berlin Staatsoper The (), also known as the Berlin State Opera (german: Staatsoper Berlin), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the Mitte (locality), historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of Prussian king Frederi ...

Early life and education

Duncan was born in

Chelsea, London Chelsea is an affluent area in west London, England, due south-west of Charing Cross by approximately 2.5 miles. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames and for postal purposes is part of the south-western postal area. Chelsea histori ...

on 12 July 1948. He is the son of Margaret Elizabeth Duncan (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

Thurlow) and Ronald Francis Hamilton Anson Duncan , a Royal Naval captain and senior operations executive. Through his father, Duncan is a descendant of the British general Sir George Anson. He attended

Durston House Durston House School is a private preparatory school in the UK for boys aged 4–13. It is a leading west London prep school and is a noted feeder school of Merchant Taylors’, John Lyon, Hampton and St Paul's School. Day fees range from £4,3 ...

, a preparatory school in

Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was hi ...

, and

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It derives from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the 1066 Norman Conquest, as d ...

from 1961 to 1966. While there, he was head of Wren's, one of the constituent school houses.

Theatre

Acting

Duncan's stage credits have included plays by William Shakespeare (as Rosencrantz in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depi ...

'', Gonzalo in '' The Tempest'', Gower in ''

Pericles Pericles (; grc-gre, wikt:Περικλῆς, Περικλῆς; c. 495 – 429 BC) was a Greeks, Greek politician and general during the Fifth-century Athens, Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Athens, Athenian politi ...

'', Time in ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...

'', Friar Laurence in ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'', and Banquo in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

''), George Bernard Shaw (in ''

Village Wooing ''Village Wooing, A Comedietta for Two Voices'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw, written in 1933 and first performed in 1934. It has only two characters, hence the subtitle "a comedietta for two voices". The first scene takes place aboard a lin ...

'' and as Frank in '' Mrs. Warren's Profession''), and Noël Coward (in Tonight at 8.30 and as Garry Essendine in '' Present Laughter''). He has played Trepan in ''

The Master and Margarita ''The Master and Margarita'' (russian: Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version, with several chapters cut by ...

'', Governor Bellingham in ''The Scarlet Letter'' (

), and has performed in many musicals, including '' The Boy Friend'' as Alphonse, '' Privates on Parade'' as Charlie, '' Happy End'' as The Professor, '' Kiss Me Kate'' as Hortensio, ''

Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. It is base ...

'' as Vittorio Vidal, '' Anything Goes'' as Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, and '' Company'' as Harry.Martin Duncan
at Theatricalia In 1987, Duncan became an associate artist of the

Crucible Theatre The Crucible Theatre (often referred to simply as "The Crucible") is a theatre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England which opened in 1971. Although it hosts regular theatrical performances, it is best known for hosting professional snooker's ...

, Sheffield, where his many roles included appearances in ''

The History of Tom Jones ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', often known simply as ''Tom Jones'', is a comic novel by English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. It is a '' Bildungsroman'' and a picaresque novel. It was first published on 28 February 1749 i ...

'', as Canon Chasuble in ''

The Importance of Being Ernest ''The Importance of Being Ernest'' is an album by American country singer Ernest Tubb, released in 1959 (see 1959 in music). Tubb wrote in his fan club's newsletter "I don't know who dreamed up the title but I hope that it will meet with your a ...

'', Antonio Salieri in '' Amadeus'', Courtling in the British première of '' The Park'' by Botho Strauss, and Simeonov Pischik in ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

''. For a year, he appeared in the acclaimed

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

musical ''Happy as a Sandbag'' at the Ambassadors Theatre, later filmed for

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced t ...

. In 1984, he appeared as Brad Majors in the Italian Tour of ''

The Rocky Horror Show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the ...

''.

Writing, directing, and designing

In 1976, Duncan formed The Fireflies of the Boulevard, a theatre company, with director Ultz. Among their dozens of plays performed across the UK, he has written and directed ''The Revels of Gargantua in Exile Part II'' (1974), ''Kino Tata'' (1976), ''Milady's Silver Musick'' (1977), ''The Amusing Spectacle of Cinderella and Her Naughty-Naughty Sisters'' (1977), ''Stringgames'' (1979), ''A Cow. A Mooon. A Full Stop'' (1997), and ''Two Or Three Women Walking'' (2005). In collaboration with Ultz, Duncan wrote ''A Night In Old Peking'' (1978), '' The Servant of Two Masters'' (1978), ''Merrie Pranckés'' (1980), and ''All In All, Lenore!'' (1982). As director and co-writer of the

National Theatre of Brent The National Theatre of Brent is a British comedy double act, in the form of a mock two-man theatre troupe. Patrick Barlow plays Desmond Olivier Dingle, the troupe's founder, artistic director and chief executive. The role of his assistant (or ...

, Duncan collaborated on ''

The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film produced and directed by George Stevens. It is a retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Along with the ensemble cast ...

'' (1987) (

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

) the

Kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...

and

Edinburgh Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

, ''The French Revolution'' (1989) on

), ''All the World's a Globe'' (1990) which won a Sony Award for Best Comedy, ''The Mysteries of Sex'' (

), ''Love Upon The Throne'' (1998)

)and later the Bush, Berlin Festival and

Comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term ori ...

theatreswhich was nominated for an

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for Best Comedy, ''Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century'' (1999) on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

, ''The Wonder of Sex'' (2001) at the National Theatre, and ''The Mona Lisa'' which received a Sony Award for Best Comedy. From 1994 to 1999, Duncan was Artistic Director of the

. His productions there included '' The Nose'', ''The Adventures of Pinnochio'',

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...

and

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a ...

's '' Happy End'', ''A Fool and His Money'' ( Scottish Opera and

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Birmingham Repertory Theatre, commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a producing theatre based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. Founded by Barry Jackson, it is the longest-established of Britain's building-based theatre ...

), ''The Cabinet of Doktor Caligari'' ( Lyric Theatre), ''Time and the Room'' (

Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially classical music) and the performing arts are ...

, ''

Krapp's Last Tape ''Krapp's Last Tape'' is a 1958 one-act play, in English, by Samuel Beckett. With a cast of one man, it was written for Northern Irish actor Patrick Magee and first titled "Magee monologue". It was inspired by Beckett's experience of listening ...

'' with John Neville, and Endgame (Weimar Festival). In 1996, the Nottingham Playhouse was awarded the prestigious Prudential Award. From 2002 to 2005, Martin was Co-Artistic Director of the

. His productions there included '' The Gondoliers'',

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

’s '' Out of This World'', How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which won a UK Theatre Award for Best Musical), ''

The Government Inspector ''The Government Inspector'', also known as ''The Inspector General'' ( rus, links=no, Ревизор, Revizor, literally: "Inspector"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the pla ...

'', ''I Caught My Death In Venice'' with the Brothers Marquez, Botho Strauss' ''

Seven Doors ''Seven Doors'' () is a 1988 play by the German writer Botho Strauß. It consists of eleven darkly comedic sketches on the subject of social decline. The play premiered on 20 November 1988 at the Stockholm City Theatre. Reception Michael Billin ...

'', and '' Doctor Faustus'' ( Minerva Theatre). As well as directing all of his own shows, Duncan has also directed ''Moses – The 10 Commandments'' (

Theater St. Gallen The Theater St. Gallen is a performing arts center for opera, musical, ballet, and theatre in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and considered to be the oldest professional theatre in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Al ...

), ''

Man of La Mancha ''Man of La Mancha'' is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay '' I, Don Quixote'', which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cerva ...

'' (

Royal Lyceum Theatre The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658-seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by ...

), ''

The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play ...

'' ( Maxim Gorki Theater),

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Thief' ...

's '' The Blacks'' ( Market Theatre of Johannesburg and

Stockholm City Theatre Stockholm City Theatre ( sv, Stockholms stadsteater) is live performance theater located in Stockholm, Sweden. The theatre is situated near the Sergel fountain and the Stockholm City roundabout. Location It is located in one of Stockholm's m ...

), '' The Sunshine Boys'' ( Deutsches Theater Berlin), ''

'' ( Deutsches Theater), '' 4 MARYs'' with Second Stride, ''The Small Moments (In Life)'' with Judith Weir (

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...

), two World premières (''Broken Biscuits'' and ''Puppy Dogs Tales'') by Dave Pumford, two

productions ( Eugène Ionesco's '' The Bald Prima Donna'' and

Guillaume Apollinaire Guillaume Apollinaire) of the Wąż coat of arms. (; 26 August 1880 – 9 November 1918) was a French French poetry, poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic of Polish-Belarusian, Polish descent. Apollinaire is considered ...

's ''

The Breasts of Tiresias ''The Breasts of Tiresias'' (french: Les mamelles de Tirésias) is a surrealist play by Guillaume Apollinaire. Written in 1903, the play received its first production in a revised version subtitled ''Drame surréaliste'' in 1917. With this subt ...

''),

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

's ''

Pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...

'' (Eventhaus), ''School for Clowns'' ( Lilian Baylis Theatre) with co-director

Stephen Daldry Stephen David Daldry CBE (born 2 May 1960) is an English director and producer of film, theatre, and television. He has won three Olivier Awards for his work in the West End and three Tony Awards for his work on Broadway. He has received thr ...

, and

Alexander Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...

’s '' Mozart and Salieri'' (

). Duncan was Associate Director on both Steven Pimlott's production of ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins V ...

'' at the Sheffield Crucible and the

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo ...

' 1991 World Tour. With Clare Venables, he co-directed the musical

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with si ...

( Sheffield Crucible). Duncan created the Chromolume Sequence for Stephen Sondheim's ''

Sunday in the Park with George ''Sunday in the Park with George'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat's painting '' A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande ...

'' (1991, National Theatre). He directed ''Sondheim at 80'' at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

for the

BBC Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Ha ...

in 2010, celebrating the 80th Birthday of Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim. The show starred

Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He is known for his appearances in film, television and theatre, and work on radio, on audiobooks and as a narrator. For his services to drama, he was knighted by Queen Elizab ...

, Daniel Evans, Julian Ovenden, and

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

who sang Sondheim's " Send In the Clowns", a piece originally written for actress Glynis Johns.

Composing

In musical theatre, Duncan has written scores for over 50 productions. These include plays by

John Arden John Arden (26 October 1930 – 28 March 2012) was an English playwright who at his death was lauded as "one of the most significant British playwrights of the late 1950s and early 60s". Career Born in Barnsley, son of the manager of a glass f ...

(''The Hero Rises Up'' and ''Armstrong's Last Goodnight''),

's ''

Drums in the Night ''Drums in the Night'' (''Trommeln in der Nacht'') is a play by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Brecht wrote it between 1919 and 1920, and it received its first theatrical production in 1922. It is in the Expressionist style of Ernst Tolle ...

'', ''An Italian Straw Hat'' (1970), ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his histrionic mother, ...

'' (1973), ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...

'', Edward Bond's '' Bingo'' starring Sir John Gielgud (

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal ...

), R. D. Laing's ''Knots'' (

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county in the State of New York, ...

Academy of Music), ''Cowardice'' (1982) starring Sir Ian McKellen and

Janet Suzman Dame Janet Suzman, (born 9 February 1939) is a South African-born British actress who enjoyed a successful early career in the Royal Shakespeare Company, later replaying many Shakespearean roles, among others, on TV. In her first film, ''Nicho ...

( Ambassadors Theatre), ''A Mad World, My Masters'' and ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'' (

Theatre Royal Stratford East The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a 460 seat Victorian producing theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company, famously associated with director Joan Littlewood, whos ...

), ''

'' (

), plays at the

(including ''Tom Jones'', ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the dire ...

'', ''

'', and The Park), '' The Lady from the Sea'' (

Citizens Theatre The Citizens Theatre, in what was the Royal Princess's Theatre, is the creation of James Bridie and is based in Glasgow, Scotland as a principal producing theatre. The theatre includes a 500-seat Main Auditorium, and has also included various ...

), and ''School for Clowns'' at the Lilian Baylis Theatre (1988).

Choreographing

Premiering on 12 October 1988, Duncan choreographed Stephen Lowe's ''Divine Gossip'' at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Pit Theatre. With the same company, he choreographed Eugène Ionesco's Macbett. In 1986, Duncan staged the Masques for Nicholas Hytner's productions of ''

Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to ...

'' ( Manchester Royal Exchange) and '' The Tempest'' (Royal Shakespeare Company). At the Royal Exchange, he also staged the Masques for Ian McDiarmid's production of ''Don Juan''.

Opera

Writing and directing

Duncan has written the libretti for and directed two short operas: ''Three Really Good Tea Parties'' with composer Jonathan Dove at the Salisbury International Arts Festival and ''Warning Bells'' with writer Jeremy Sams in 1989, Dartington. For

Opera North Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays a ...

, Duncan has directed several operas. These include '' L'heure espagnole'' (1989), ''

Gianni Schicchi () is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's ''Divine Comedy''. The work is the third and final part of Pucc ...

'' (1990), '' The Thieving Magpie'' (1992) ''

Orpheus in the Underworld ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' and ''Orpheus in Hell'' are English names for (), a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Hector-Jonathan Crémieux, Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy. It was first performed as a two-act "op� ...

'' (1992), ''

The Adventures of Pinocchio ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' ( ; it, Le avventure di Pinocchio ; commonly shortened to ''Pinocchio'') is a children's fantasy novel by Italian author Carlo Collodi. It is about the mischievous adventures of an animated marionette named Pin ...

'' (2007), and ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...

'' (2008), and Yolanta (

). For Munich's

Bavarian State Opera The Bayerische Staatsoper is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bayerische Staatsorchester. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under Ele ...

, he directed the Opernwelt award-winning '' Xerxes'' (1996), '' La clemenza di Tito'' (1999), The Rake's Progress (2002), and ''

Die Entführung aus dem Serail ' () ( K. 384; ''The Abduction from the Seraglio''; also known as ') is a singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's ''Belmont und Constanze, oder D ...

'' (2003). Other productions include '' Albert Herring'' (1991, Canadian Opera Company), ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a '' Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inc ...

'' (1993, Scottish Opera/

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...

), '' H.M.S. Pinafore'', ''

Die Fledermaus ' (, ''The Flittermouse'' or ''The Bat'', sometimes called ''The Revenge of the Bat'') is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874. Background The original li ...

'' (1994,

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. T ...

), ''

Ariadne auf Naxos (''Ariadne on Naxos''), Opus number, Op. 60, is a 1912 opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The opera's unusual combination of elements of low commedia dell'arte with those of high opera seria points up one o ...

'' (1997, Scottish Opera/ 2007, Garsington Opera/ 2010,

Norwegian Opera Company The Norwegian Opera Company ( no, Norsk Operaselskap A/S) was an opera company in Oslo, Norway. The Norwegian Opera Company was established in 1950 by the Brunvoll brothers with the aim of having a fixed location as well as operating as a traveling ...

), '' The Last Supper'' (2000,

Berlin State Opera The (), also known as the Berlin State Opera (german: Staatsoper Berlin), is a listed building on Unter den Linden boulevard in the historic center of Berlin, Germany. The opera house was built by order of Prussian king Frederick the Great from ...

/ 2001,

Glyndebourne Opera Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an annual opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England. History Under the supervision of the Christie family, the festival has been held annually since 1934, ex ...

), ''

The Love for Three Oranges ''The Love for Three Oranges'', Op. 33, also known by its French language title ' (russian: Любовь к трём апельсинам, links=no, ''Lyubov' k tryom apel'sinam''), is a satirical opera by Sergei Prokofiev. Its French libretto ...

'' (2001, Cologne Opera), ''

Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, "Clowns") is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who ...

'' and ''

Cavalleria rusticana ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (; Italian for "rustic chivalry") is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from an 1880 Cavalleria rusticana (short story), short story of ...

'' (2002,

), ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on '' La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his o ...

'' (2003, Flanders Opera), '' The Gondoliers'' (2006,

), ''The Original Chinese Conjuror'' (2006, Aldeburgh Festival), ''

'' (2008, Chemnitz Opera/ 2009,

Minnesota Opera Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded as the Center Opera Company in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as '' Where the Wild Things Are'' by Oliv ...

/ 2011, Moscow), ''

Mirandolina ''Mirandolina'' ( H. 346) is a comic opera in three acts by Bohuslav Martinů, with a libretto (in Italian) by the composer after Carlo Goldoni's 1751 comedy ''La locandiera'' ('' The Mistress of the Inn''). Salieri had an opera (''dramma gioc ...

'' (2009, Garsington Opera),Mirandolina , 06 July 2009
at the

WhatsOnStage.com WhatsOnStage.com is a London-based website that provides information about, and offers tickets for, theatrical performances in the United Kingdom. It also organises the annual WhatsOnStage Awards. Founded in 1996, it has been owned by the Americ ...

Artaxerxes Artaxerxes may refer to: The throne name of several Achaemenid rulers of the 1st Persian Empire: * Artaxerxes I of Persia (died 425 BC), Artaxerxes I Longimanus, ''r.'' 466–425 BC, son and successor of Xerxes I * Artaxerxes II of Persia (436 ...

'' (2009,

), ''

Armida Armida is the fictional character of a Saracen sorceress, created by the Italian late Renaissance poet Torquato Tasso. Description In Tasso's epic ''Jerusalem Delivered'' ( it, Gerusalemme liberata, link=no), Rinaldo is a fierce and determi ...

'' (2010, Garsington Opera), ''

La forza del destino ' (; ''The Power of Fate'', often translated ''The Force of Destiny'') is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, ' (1835), by Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas, ...

'' (2010, Opera Holland Park), ''

Betrothal in a Monastery ''Betrothal in a Monastery'' (Russian title ''Обручение в монастыре'') is an opera in nine scenes (four acts) by Sergei Prokofiev to a Russian libretto by the composer and Mira Mendelson after Sheridan's ''The Duenna''. Proko ...

'' (2011, Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse/ 2011,

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienn ...

), '' Il turco in Italia'' (2011, Garsington Opera), '' Noye's Fludde'' (2013, Aldeburgh Festival), '' Vert-Vert'' (2014, Garsington Opera), ''Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland'' (2013–17, Opera Holland Park), '' The Corridor'' and ''The Cure'' (2015, Aldeburgh Festival/ 2016,

Holland Festival The Holland Festival () is the oldest and largest performing arts festival in the Netherlands. It takes place every June in Amsterdam. It comprises theatre, music, opera and modern dance. In recent years, multimedia, visual arts, film and archit ...

), and '' Fantasio'' (2019, Garsington Opera). In 1992, Duncan was co-writer of the scenario for Matthew Bourne's ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaiko ...

'' for

and the

, which he co-directed with Bourne. It received an

nomination. At the BBC Proms 2012, Duncan directed

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which '' H.M.S. ...

's '' The Yeomen of the Guard''.

Choreographing

Duncan was choreographer for the Cassandro Theatre Sequence in Tim Albery's 1991 production of '' Benvenuto Cellini'' at the

Netherlands Opera The Dutch National Opera (DNO; formerly De Nederlandse Opera, now De Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Dutch National Opera & Ballet housed in the Stopera building, ...

Film and television

Duncan's film credits include appearances in ''The Children of Icarus'' (a German television film), ''Flying into the Wind'' (a 1983 television film) as the prosecuting counsel, ''Forever Young'' (a 1983 film) as John, ''Caprice'' (a 1986 film short directed by Joanna Hogg) as the film director, and the award winning ''Flying Into the Wind'' (a television film by David Leland). On television, Duncan has appeared in multiple episodes on such shows as '' The Legend of Robin Hood'' as Blondin and ''

When the Boat Comes In ''When the Boat Comes In'' is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. The series stars James Bolam as Jack Ford, a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallows ...

'' as Roddy. With single episode appearances, he has appeared in ''

Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...

'' (in the 1990 episode ''Van Gogh'') as the Impressionist Man and '' The Two Ronnies'' (in 1977 on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins ...

Other work

Duncan has written lyrics for four

Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records () is a British record label that was founded in 1968. The name is both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders' names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis. It started as the Ellis-Wright A ...

albums by musician Brian Protheroe: "

Pinball Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...

" in 1974, "Pick-Up" in 1975, and "I/You" in 1976. He met Protheroe in 1968 at the Theatre Royal Lincoln and the two became a musical collaboration. In 2005, he wrote an additional album for Protheroe: "Citysong" with Basta label. Between 2009 and 2012, Duncan was an artistic adviser to Ruth Mackenzie, Director of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Credits

Theatre

Opera

Film

Radio

Music

Acting credits

Theatre

Film

Television

Vocalist credits

External links

*
Martin Duncan
at Operabase
Martin Duncan
at Doollee.com

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Martin Living people 1948 births People from Chelsea, London People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art British opera directors Opera managers 20th-century English male actors Male actors from London Media founders 20th-century British artists 21st-century British artists 20th-century English composers 21st-century English composers 20th-century English screenwriters 21st-century British screenwriters English musical theatre directors 20th-century English male singers English theatre managers and producers Musical theatre producers Male musical theatre composers English choreographers Ballad musicians Singers from London Stage managers