Fuad Kavur
Encyclopedia
Fuad Kavur is a British opera
and film
director and producer.
Fuad came to London
in 1963 when his uncle, Kemal N. Kavur, was the Turkish ambassador. Fuad comes from a family of diplomats: one paternal uncle, Kemal N. Kavur, served as ambassador to Finland
, Bulgaria
, the Soviet Union
, Japan
, the United Kingdom
, and Switzerland
; another paternal uncle, Sadi Kavur, was ambassador to Yugoslavia
, Sweden
and Portugal
.
Fuad went to Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle
in London, and later studied International Relations at University College London
. However, straight after university, Kavur went into arts. In 1973, he directed the British premiere of Gottfried von Einem
's opera Der Prozeß, based on Franz Kafka
's novel, The Trial
, at Bloomsbury Theatre. Fuad then worked at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
, as assistant to John Copley
. From 1977, Fuad collaborated exclusively with Sir Peter Ustinov
on opera productions at the Paris Opera
, Hamburg State Opera
, La Scala
(Milan), the Mozarteum Salzburg and the Deutsche Oper Berlin
. In 1978, Fuad directed the revival of Wagner's Ring Cycle
at Washington's Seattle Opera
in a production originally created by George London (1975)
In 1984 Fuad produced the feature film Memed, My Hawk
(also known as The Lion and the Hawk), based on the novel Memed, My Hawk
by Yashar Kemal. It was directed by Sir Peter Ustinov and starred Ustinov, Herbert Lom
, Simon Dutton
, Siobhan McKenna
, Michael Elphick
and Denis Quilley
. Memed My Hawk had a royal premiere in London in the aid of UNICEF. However, both the filming and screening of Memed My Hawk was (and still is) banned in Turkey by the government as "communist propaganda". ("Observer" newspaper, Guardian, the Times, "Censorship" magazine, May 1984) Fuad was a company director of Peter Ustinov Productions Ltd. from 1982 to 1992. In 2001, he was the executive producer of Atatürk, a television documentary on Kemal Ataturk, directed by Tolga Ornek
and narrated by Sir Donald Sinden
.
As of 2009, Fuad was preparing a feature film, also based on the life of Atatürk, scheduled to shoot in Hungary
in 2011. The screenplay is written by Fuad Kavur who will also direct. The film is produced by the Academy Award-winning Jonathan Sanger (The Elephant Man
, The Producers
, Vanilla Sky
) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King
). The cinematographer will be the Academy Award-winning Vilmos Zsigmond
(Close Encounters of the Third Kind
, The Deer Hunter
).
In January 2010 at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies
), London University, in the presence of the Turkish Ambassador, Yigit Alpogan, Fuad Kavur gave a talk on Ataturk, with Dr Andrew Mango, the eminent Ataturk scholar and biographer. Kavur's talk focused on the use Ataturk made of Jewish scientists, academics and artists, on the run from Hitler's Germany, by offering them a home in the newly formed Turkish Republic, to the benefit of the Turkish nation.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
director and producer.
Fuad came to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1963 when his uncle, Kemal N. Kavur, was the Turkish ambassador. Fuad comes from a family of diplomats: one paternal uncle, Kemal N. Kavur, served as ambassador to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
; another paternal uncle, Sadi Kavur, was ambassador to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Fuad went to Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle
Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle
The Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle is a large French primary and secondary school situated in South Kensington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London...
in London, and later studied International Relations at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. However, straight after university, Kavur went into arts. In 1973, he directed the British premiere of Gottfried von Einem
Gottfried von Einem
Gottfried von Einem was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ.-Biography:...
's opera Der Prozeß, based on Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
's novel, The Trial
The Trial
The Trial is a novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1925. One of Kafka's best-known works, it tells the story of a man arrested and prosecuted by a remote, inaccessible authority, with the nature of his crime revealed neither to him nor the reader.Like Kafka's other novels, The Trial was never...
, at Bloomsbury Theatre. Fuad then worked at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House 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 of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, as assistant to John Copley
John Copley
John Michael Harold Copley is a British theatre and opera producer.He was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, son of Ernest Harold Copley and Lilian Forbes, and attended King Edward VI Five Ways. After a brief career as an actor, he became stage manager at Sadler's Wells in 1953 and resident...
. From 1977, Fuad collaborated exclusively with Sir Peter Ustinov
Peter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
on opera productions at the Paris Opera
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
, Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
, La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
(Milan), the Mozarteum Salzburg and the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, Germany. The resident building is also home to the Berlin State Ballet.-History:...
. In 1978, Fuad directed the revival of Wagner's Ring Cycle
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
at Washington's Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
in a production originally created by George London (1975)
In 1984 Fuad produced the feature film Memed, My Hawk
Memed My Hawk (film)
Memed My Hawk is a 1984 British-Yugoslav drama film directed by Peter Ustinov and starring Ustinov, Herbert Lom, Denis Quilley and Michael Elphick...
(also known as The Lion and the Hawk), based on the novel Memed, My Hawk
Memed, My Hawk
Memed, My Hawk is a 1955 novel by Yaşar Kemal. It was Kemal's debut novel and is the first novel in his İnce Memed tetralogy. The novel won the Varlik prize for that year and earned Kemal a national reputation...
by Yashar Kemal. It was directed by Sir Peter Ustinov and starred Ustinov, Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom is a Czech film actor, best known for his role as former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movie series.-Life and career:...
, Simon Dutton
Simon Dutton
Simon Dutton is a British actor, best known for playing the title role of Simon Templar in a series of Australian-produced television films in 1989. In 2007, he joined the cast of British sitcom Not Going Out as recurring character Guy, but was written out at the end of season 2.Dutton was...
, Siobhan McKenna
Siobhán McKenna
Siobhán McKenna was an Irish stage and screen actress.-Background:Born Siobhán Giollamhuire Nic Cionnaith in Belfast, Northern Ireland into a Catholic and nationalist family, she grew up in Galway City and in County Monaghan, Ireland speaking fluent Irish...
, Michael Elphick
Michael Elphick
Michael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
and Denis Quilley
Denis Quilley
Denis Clifford Quilley OBE was an English theatre, television and film actor who was long associated with the Royal National Theatre....
. Memed My Hawk had a royal premiere in London in the aid of UNICEF. However, both the filming and screening of Memed My Hawk was (and still is) banned in Turkey by the government as "communist propaganda". ("Observer" newspaper, Guardian, the Times, "Censorship" magazine, May 1984) Fuad was a company director of Peter Ustinov Productions Ltd. from 1982 to 1992. In 2001, he was the executive producer of Atatürk, a television documentary on Kemal Ataturk, directed by Tolga Ornek
Tolga Örnek
Tolga Örnek is a Turkish film director, writer and producer who, in recognition of his 2005 documentary, Gallipoli, was awarded an honorary medal in the general division of the Order of Australia....
and narrated by Sir Donald Sinden
Donald Sinden
Sir Donald Alfred Sinden CBE is an English actor of theatre, film and television.-Personal life:Sinden was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on 9 October 1923. The son of Alfred Edward Sinden and his wife Mabel Agnes , he grew up in the Sussex village of Ditchling, where their home doubled as the...
.
As of 2009, Fuad was preparing a feature film, also based on the life of Atatürk, scheduled to shoot in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 2011. The screenplay is written by Fuad Kavur who will also direct. The film is produced by the Academy Award-winning Jonathan Sanger (The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man (film)
The Elephant Man is a 1980 American drama film based on the true story of Joseph Merrick , a severely deformed man in 19th century London...
, The Producers
The Producers (2005 film)
# "Overture" - Orchestra# "Opening Night" - Opening Nighters# "We Can Do It" - Max and Leo# "I Wanna Be a Producer" - Leo, Accountants, Mr. Marks and Dancing Chorus Girls# "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" - Franz, Max, and Leo...
, Vanilla Sky
Vanilla Sky
Vanilla Sky is a 2001 American psychological thriller film directed, co-produced and co-written by Cameron Crowe. The film is an English-language remake of the 1997 Spanish movie Abre los ojos , the screenplay for which was written by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil...
) and Ed Elbert (Anna and the King
Anna and the King
Anna and the King is a 1999 biographical drama film loosely based on Anna and the King of Siam, the story of Anna Leonowens, who was an English schoolteacher in Siam, now Thailand, in the 19th century...
). The cinematographer will be the Academy Award-winning Vilmos Zsigmond
Vilmos Zsigmond
Vilmos Zsigmond, A.S.C. is a Hungarian-American cinematographer.In 2003, a survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild placed Zsigmond among the ten most influential cinematographers in history.-Biography:...
(Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, and Cary Guffey...
, The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter is a 1978 drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Russian American steel worker friends and their infantry service in the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, John Cazale, and George Dzundza...
).
In January 2010 at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
), London University, in the presence of the Turkish Ambassador, Yigit Alpogan, Fuad Kavur gave a talk on Ataturk, with Dr Andrew Mango, the eminent Ataturk scholar and biographer. Kavur's talk focused on the use Ataturk made of Jewish scientists, academics and artists, on the run from Hitler's Germany, by offering them a home in the newly formed Turkish Republic, to the benefit of the Turkish nation.