Antoni Libera
Encyclopedia
Antoni Libera is a Polish writer, translator, literary critic, and theater director. He graduated from Warsaw University and received his Ph. D. from the Polish Academy of Sciences
. He is a member of the Pen Club, the Polish Writers Association (Stowarzyszenie Pisarzy Polskich
), and the American Samuel Beckett Society.
Libera is best known for his translations and productions of Samuel Beckett
's plays. He has translated all Beckett’s dramatic works into Polish, as well as some of his other works. He has also directed many of Beckett’s plays in Poland, Great Britain, Ireland, and the U.S. Many famous Polish actors have appeared in those plays, including Tadeusz Łomnicki, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
, Maja Komorowska
, Adam Ferency
, Zbigniew Zamachowski
, and Andrzej Seweryn
, along with British actors like Barry McGovern
and David Warrilow.
His other translations include Shakespeare "Macbeth", Sophocles
"Antigon", Oscar Wilde
"Salome", Friedrich Hölderlin
, Constantine Cavafy, and others. He has translated a number of opera librettos as well, such as "Death in Venice" by Benjamin Britten
, "Black mask", and "Ubu King" by Krzysztof Penderecki
.
In 1990 he was commissioned by the London Royal Court Theatre to write the play "Eastern Promises," which was performed in that theater and published in “The May Days Dialogues" by Methuen in 1990 (Polish title: "Czy Europa musi zginąć"? published in “Dialog”).
Libera's first novel, "Madame" (1998), was awarded the Grand Prix from Znak (a major Polish publishing house) and nominated for the 1999 Nike Literary Award.
In 2002 it was again nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. The novel has been translated into 20 languages.
In 2009, Libera published the autobiographical work "Godot i jego cień" (Godot’s Shadow), which was nominated for an Angelus Award and the Jan Michalski Prize for Literature.
From 1988 to 1993, Libera was one of the editors of the magazine "Puls", and from 1996 to 2001 he was a literary director at the Dramatic Theater in Warsaw.
In October 2010 he was awarded the Silver Medal “Gloria Artis.”
Bibliography:
Original works:
"Błogosławieństwo Becketta i inne wyznania literackie" (Sic!, 2004)
"Godot i jego cień" [autobiographical prose] (Znak, 2009)
"Liryki lozańskie in "Pokaz prozy" (WL 2006)
"Madame" (Znak 1998)
"Niech się panu darzy…[Christmas vigil story]" in "9 Wigilii" (Świat Książki, 2007)
Translations and studies:
Beckett, S. "Pisma prozą" (Czytelnik 1982)
Barańczak, S. "Zimy i podróże. Lekcja literatury z Antonim Liberą [selected poems]" (WL 1997)
Beckett, S. "Dramaty" (Biblioteka Narodowa, Ossolineum 1995, 1999)
Beckett, S. "Dramaty", “Kanon na Koniec Wieku” (PIW 2002)
Beckett, S. "Dzieła dramatyczne" (PIW 1988)
Beckett, S. "Molloy i cztery nowele" (Znak 2004)
Beckett, S. "No właśnie co [selected works]" (PIW 2010)
Beckett, S. "Wierność przegranej [esseys]" (Znak 1999)
Hölderlin, F. "Co się ostaje, ustanawiają poeci [selected poems]" (Znak 2003), (słowo/obraz terytoria 2009)
Kawafis, K. "Jeżeli do Itaki wybierasz się w podróż... [selected poems]" (Znak 2011)
Shakespeare, W. "Makbet" (Noir Sur Blanc 2002)
Szpotański, J. "Gnom; Caryca; Szmaciak [satiric works and autobiographical fragments]" (LTW 2003)
Szpotański, J. "Zebrane utwory poetyckie" (Puls 1990)
Wilde, O. "Dwie sceny miłosne [Salome, Tragedia florencka]" (PIW 2003)
Trivia:
In his essay "Onanagramy" (Onomastic anagrams), Stanisław Barańczak created 36 anagrams of Libera's name, including "Art E. Albinioni," "Inertia Balon," "Nina B. Loteria," "Beria Natolin," and others.
External links:
Official Authors’ website (Polish) http://www.antoni-libera.pl/
Review of "Madame" by Antoni Libera translated from the Polish by Agnieszka Kołakowska (2000), (in English) http://www.polishlibrary.org/review/madame.htm
About Antoni Libera (in English) http://magazyn.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/os_libera_antoni
About "Godot’s shadow" by Antoni Libera (in English) http://www.znak-rights.pl/index.php/books/show/55
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
. He is a member of the Pen Club, the Polish Writers Association (Stowarzyszenie Pisarzy Polskich
Stowarzyszenie Pisarzy Polskich
The Stowarzyszenie Pisarzy Polskich is a Polish Writers' Association, an organization of major Polish writers, poets, playwrights, critics and translators. SPP is a continuation of the Polish Writers Association, founded in 1920....
), and the American Samuel Beckett Society.
Libera is best known for his translations and productions of Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's plays. He has translated all Beckett’s dramatic works into Polish, as well as some of his other works. He has also directed many of Beckett’s plays in Poland, Great Britain, Ireland, and the U.S. Many famous Polish actors have appeared in those plays, including Tadeusz Łomnicki, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
Zbigniew Zapasiewicz was one of the most prominent post-war Polish actors, as well as a theatre director and pedagogue.- Biography :...
, Maja Komorowska
Maja Komorowska
Maja Komorowska is a Polish film actress. She has appeared in 35 films since 1970.-Selected filmography:* Family Life * A Woman's Decision * Budapest Tales * Spiral...
, Adam Ferency
Adam Ferency
Adam Ferency is a Polish actor. He has appeared in over 70 films and televisison shows since 1976. He starred in the 1990 film Burial of a Potato, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival....
, Zbigniew Zamachowski
Zbigniew Zamachowski
Zbigniew Zamachowski is a Polish actor.Zamachowski graduated the actor's faculty in "PWSFTViT" in Łódź. He began his acting career in 1981 and in 1989 had a co-starring role in Part Ten of director Krzysztof Kieślowski's film series, The Decalogue...
, and Andrzej Seweryn
Andrzej Seweryn
Andrzej Seweryn is a Polish and French actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to be hired by the Paris-based Comédie-Française.- Biography :Andrzej...
, along with British actors like Barry McGovern
Barry McGovern
Barry McGovern is an Irish stage, film and television actor. He was educated at Castleknock College, Dublin.-Background:McGovern is a former member of the RTÉ Players and the Abbey Theatre Company. He has worked in theatre, film, radio and television, as well as written music for many shows, and...
and David Warrilow.
His other translations include Shakespeare "Macbeth", Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides...
"Antigon", Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
"Salome", Friedrich Hölderlin
Friedrich Hölderlin
Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin was a major German lyric poet, commonly associated with the artistic movement known as Romanticism. Hölderlin was also an important thinker in the development of German Idealism, particularly his early association with and philosophical influence on his...
, Constantine Cavafy, and others. He has translated a number of opera librettos as well, such as "Death in Venice" by Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
, "Black mask", and "Ubu King" by Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
.
In 1990 he was commissioned by the London Royal Court Theatre to write the play "Eastern Promises," which was performed in that theater and published in “The May Days Dialogues" by Methuen in 1990 (Polish title: "Czy Europa musi zginąć"? published in “Dialog”).
Libera's first novel, "Madame" (1998), was awarded the Grand Prix from Znak (a major Polish publishing house) and nominated for the 1999 Nike Literary Award.
In 2002 it was again nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. The novel has been translated into 20 languages.
In 2009, Libera published the autobiographical work "Godot i jego cień" (Godot’s Shadow), which was nominated for an Angelus Award and the Jan Michalski Prize for Literature.
From 1988 to 1993, Libera was one of the editors of the magazine "Puls", and from 1996 to 2001 he was a literary director at the Dramatic Theater in Warsaw.
In October 2010 he was awarded the Silver Medal “Gloria Artis.”
Bibliography:
Original works:
"Błogosławieństwo Becketta i inne wyznania literackie" (Sic!, 2004)
"Godot i jego cień" [autobiographical prose] (Znak, 2009)
"Liryki lozańskie in "Pokaz prozy" (WL 2006)
"Madame" (Znak 1998)
"Niech się panu darzy…[Christmas vigil story]" in "9 Wigilii" (Świat Książki, 2007)
Translations and studies:
Beckett, S. "Pisma prozą" (Czytelnik 1982)
Barańczak, S. "Zimy i podróże. Lekcja literatury z Antonim Liberą [selected poems]" (WL 1997)
Beckett, S. "Dramaty" (Biblioteka Narodowa, Ossolineum 1995, 1999)
Beckett, S. "Dramaty", “Kanon na Koniec Wieku” (PIW 2002)
Beckett, S. "Dzieła dramatyczne" (PIW 1988)
Beckett, S. "Molloy i cztery nowele" (Znak 2004)
Beckett, S. "No właśnie co [selected works]" (PIW 2010)
Beckett, S. "Wierność przegranej [esseys]" (Znak 1999)
Hölderlin, F. "Co się ostaje, ustanawiają poeci [selected poems]" (Znak 2003), (słowo/obraz terytoria 2009)
Kawafis, K. "Jeżeli do Itaki wybierasz się w podróż... [selected poems]" (Znak 2011)
Shakespeare, W. "Makbet" (Noir Sur Blanc 2002)
Szpotański, J. "Gnom; Caryca; Szmaciak [satiric works and autobiographical fragments]" (LTW 2003)
Szpotański, J. "Zebrane utwory poetyckie" (Puls 1990)
Wilde, O. "Dwie sceny miłosne [Salome, Tragedia florencka]" (PIW 2003)
Trivia:
In his essay "Onanagramy" (Onomastic anagrams), Stanisław Barańczak created 36 anagrams of Libera's name, including "Art E. Albinioni," "Inertia Balon," "Nina B. Loteria," "Beria Natolin," and others.
External links:
Official Authors’ website (Polish) http://www.antoni-libera.pl/
Review of "Madame" by Antoni Libera translated from the Polish by Agnieszka Kołakowska (2000), (in English) http://www.polishlibrary.org/review/madame.htm
About Antoni Libera (in English) http://magazyn.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/os_libera_antoni
About "Godot’s shadow" by Antoni Libera (in English) http://www.znak-rights.pl/index.php/books/show/55