Charles Hart (lyricist): Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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===Early life=== |
===Early life=== |
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Hart attended [[Desborough School]], [[Maidenhead]], [[Robinson College, Cambridge]] and the [[Guildhall School of Music and Drama]]. He had began writing lyrics as a child, some of which were "dark and contemplative |
Hart attended [[Desborough School]], [[Maidenhead]], [[Robinson College, Cambridge]] and the [[Guildhall School of Music and Drama]]. He had began writing lyrics as a child, some of which were "dark and contemplative – precociously murderous and quite, quite feisty" <ref name="ReferenceA" /> but first seriously contemplated turning his talent into a profession in the 1970s when his grandmother – [[Angela Baddeley]], an actress – was on stage in a London production of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[A Little Night Music]]''.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> |
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:"When I was at the Guildhall I sent a tape to [Stephen] Sondheim, fully expecting a reply hailing the next true genius of the West End," he said in a rare interview in ''The Times''. "All I got was a note saying that I had 'rhyming poison' which got in the way of my characters and plot, and of course he was entirely right. But my ambition was to be an English Sondheim. |
:"When I was at the Guildhall I sent a tape to [Stephen] Sondheim, fully expecting a reply hailing the next true genius of the West End," he said in a rare interview in ''The Times''. "All I got was a note saying that I had 'rhyming poison' which got in the way of my characters and plot, and of course he was entirely right. But my ambition was to be an English Sondheim. |
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===Career=== |
===Career=== |
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He has also written words for musicals "The Kissing-Dance" and "The Dreaming" (both with music by Howard Goodall), also words for opera (The Vampyr, BBCTV) and miscellaneous songs, as well as both words and music for television, ("Watching", "Split Ends" for Granada TV) and Love Songs (BBC Radio). His Two Studies for String Quartet received its premiere in February 2005 at London’s Purcell Room, performed by the Sacconi |
He has also written words for musicals "The Kissing-Dance" and "The Dreaming" (both with music by Howard Goodall), also words for opera (The Vampyr, BBCTV) and miscellaneous songs, as well as both words and music for television, ("Watching", "Split Ends" for Granada TV) and Love Songs (BBC Radio). His Two Studies for String Quartet received its premiere in February 2005 at London’s Purcell Room, performed by the Sacconi Quartet. |
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Quartet. |
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He has received two [[Ivor Novello Award]]s and has been nominated twice for a [[Tony Award]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}. He was also nominated for an [[Academy Award]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} for writing the lyrics to a new song "Learn to be Lonely" which was sung by [[Minnie Driver]] over the final credits to the film version of ''The Phantom of the Opera'' |
He has received two [[Ivor Novello Award]]s and has been nominated twice for a [[Tony Award]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}. He was also nominated for an [[Academy Award]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} for writing the lyrics to a new song "Learn to be Lonely" which was sung by [[Minnie Driver]] over the final credits to the film version of ''The Phantom of the Opera'' |
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Charles Hart is also a [[photographer]]. His photographic work has appeared on posters and in playbills, as well as publications ranging from Attitude to the Daily Telegraph, and in 2003 he was one of three photographers to feature in an exhibition organized by UNICEF to celebrate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. |
Charles Hart is also a [[photographer]]. His photographic work has appeared on posters and in playbills, as well as publications ranging from ''Attitude'' to the ''Daily Telegraph'', and in 2003 he was one of three photographers to feature in an exhibition organized by UNICEF to celebrate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. |
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Charles is a longstanding trustee and supporter of the UK charity ratings agency, [[Intelligent Giving]]. |
Charles is a longstanding trustee and supporter of the UK charity ratings agency, [[Intelligent Giving]]. |
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| NAME = Hart, Charles |
| NAME = Hart, Charles |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = [[lyricist]], [[songwriter]], [[musician]] |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 3 June 1961 |
| DATE OF BIRTH = 3 June 1961 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
| PLACE OF BIRTH = London, England |
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| DATE OF DEATH = |
| DATE OF DEATH = |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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Revision as of 17:24, 22 February 2011
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Charles Hart (born 3 June 1961 in London) is a British lyricist, songwriter and musician. He is best known for re-writing the lyrics to, and (after some persuasion [1]) contributing to the book of Andrew Lloyd Webber's phenomenally successful stage musical The Phantom of the Opera, which has since been produced as a film. He also co-wrote (with Don Black) the lyrics to Lloyd Webber's 1989 musical Aspects of Love, based on the novel by David Garnett. Hart also re-wrote Glenn Slater's lyrics for the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies.
Biography
Early life
Hart attended Desborough School, Maidenhead, Robinson College, Cambridge and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He had began writing lyrics as a child, some of which were "dark and contemplative – precociously murderous and quite, quite feisty" [1] but first seriously contemplated turning his talent into a profession in the 1970s when his grandmother – Angela Baddeley, an actress – was on stage in a London production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music.[1]
- "When I was at the Guildhall I sent a tape to [Stephen] Sondheim, fully expecting a reply hailing the next true genius of the West End," he said in a rare interview in The Times. "All I got was a note saying that I had 'rhyming poison' which got in the way of my characters and plot, and of course he was entirely right. But my ambition was to be an English Sondheim.
- "Being a lyricist is the ideal job for a university-educated dilettante, because it uses up all the rubbish in your education."[1]
He attracted the attention of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh when they were judges of the Vivian Ellis awards for music theatre writers, in which Hart was a finalist for his musical based on Moll Flanders. Lloyd Webber hired him as a lyricist for The Phantom of the Opera a year later.
Career
He has also written words for musicals "The Kissing-Dance" and "The Dreaming" (both with music by Howard Goodall), also words for opera (The Vampyr, BBCTV) and miscellaneous songs, as well as both words and music for television, ("Watching", "Split Ends" for Granada TV) and Love Songs (BBC Radio). His Two Studies for String Quartet received its premiere in February 2005 at London’s Purcell Room, performed by the Sacconi Quartet.
He has received two Ivor Novello Awards and has been nominated twice for a Tony Award[citation needed]. He was also nominated for an Academy Award[citation needed] for writing the lyrics to a new song "Learn to be Lonely" which was sung by Minnie Driver over the final credits to the film version of The Phantom of the Opera
Charles Hart is also a photographer. His photographic work has appeared on posters and in playbills, as well as publications ranging from Attitude to the Daily Telegraph, and in 2003 he was one of three photographers to feature in an exhibition organized by UNICEF to celebrate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Charles is a longstanding trustee and supporter of the UK charity ratings agency, Intelligent Giving.
The character of Max, in Will Cohu's book, "Urban Dog", is said to be based on Hart.