John Burgoyne - Dramatist

Dramatist

In his time Burgoyne was a notable playwright, writing a number of popular plays. The most notable were The Maid of the Oaks and The Heiress (1786). He assisted Richard Brinsley Sheridan in his production of The Camp, which he may have co-authored. He also wrote the libretti for William Jackson's only successful opera The Lord of the Manor (1780). He also wrote a translated semi-opera version of Michel-Jean Sedaine's work Richard Coeur de lion with music by Thomas Linley the elder for the Drury Lane Theatre where it was very successful in 1788. Had it not been for his role in the American War of Independence, Burgoyne would most likely be foremost remembered today as a dramatist.

Read more about this topic:  John Burgoyne

Famous quotes containing the word dramatist:

    The great dramatist has something better to do than to amuse either himself or his audience. He has to interpret life.
    George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)

    While we look to the dramatist to give romance to realism, we ask of the actor to give realism to romance.
    Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)

    Only ambition is fired by the coincidences of success and easy accomplishment but nothing is quite as splendidly uplifting to the heart as the defeat of a human being who battles against the invincible superiority of fate. This is always the most grandiose of all tragedies, one sometimes created by a dramatist but created thousands of times by life.
    Stefan Zweig (18811942)