In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, traveling by handcar. At once deeply vexing and utterly hilarious, darkly mysterious and amusingly absurd, "The Willowdale Handcar" is vintage Gorey.
In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, traveling by handcar. At once deeply vexing and utterly hilarious, darkly mysterious and amusingly absurd, "The Willowdale Handcar" is vintage Gorey.
The definitive biography of Edward Gorey, the eccentric master of macabre nonsense. From The Gashlycrumb Tinies to The Doubtful Guest, Edward Gorey's wickedly funny and deliciously sinister little books have influenced our culture in innumerable ways, from the works of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman to Lemony Snicket. Some even call him the Grandfather of Goth. But who was this man, who lived with over twenty thousand books and six cats, who roomed with Frank O'Hara at Harvard, and was known -- in the late 1940s, no less -- to traipse around in full-length fur coats, clanking bracelets, and an Edwardian beard? An eccentric, a gregarious recluse, an enigmatic auteur of whimsically morbid masterpieces, yes -- but who was the real Edward Gorey behind the Oscar Wildean pose? He published over a hundred books and illustrated works by Samuel Beckett, T.S. Eliot, Edward Lear, John Updike, Charles Dickens, Hilaire Belloc, Muriel Spark, Bram Stoker, Gilbert & Sullivan, and others. At the same time, he was a deeply complicated and conflicted individual, a man whose art reflected his obsessions with the disquieting and the darkly hilarious. Based on newly uncovered correspondence and interviews with personalities as diverse as John Ashbery, Donald Hall, Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, and Anna Sui, Born to Be Posthumous draws back the curtain on the eccentric genius and mysterious life of Edward Gorey.
An illustrated collection of 15 macabre short stories. In this gorgeously detailed volume, American artist and author Edward Gorey accents amphigory (nonsense verse or composition) with his signature cross-hatched pen-and-ink drawings. A mix of poetry and prose, light-hearted and decidedly more morbid storytelling, the book is sure to satisfy both fans of art and lovers of short stories alike. Stories included: "The Unstrung Harp" "The Listing Attic" "The Doubtful Guest" "The Object Lesson" "The Bug Book" "The Fatal Lozenge" "The Hapless Child" "The Curious Sofa" "The Willowdale Handcar" "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" "The Insect God" "The West Wing" "The Wuggly Ump" "The Sinking Spell" "The Remembered Visit"
Although many opera dictionaries and encyclopedias are available, very few are devoted exclusively to operas in a single language. In this revised and expanded edition of Operas in English: A Dictionary, Margaret Ross Griffel brings up to date her original work on operas written specifically to an English text (including works both originally prepared in English, as well as English translations). Since its original publication in 1999, Griffel has added nearly 800 entries to the 4,300 from the original volume, covering the world of opera in the English language from 1634 through 2011. Listed alphabetically by letter, each opera entry includes alternative titles, if any; a full, descriptive title; the number of acts; the composer’s name; the librettist’s name, the original language of the libretto, and the original source of the text, with the source title; the date, place, and cast of the first performance; the date of composition, if it occurred substantially earlier than the premiere date; similar information for the first U.S. (including colonial) and British (i.e., in England, Scotland, or Wales) performances, where applicable; a brief plot summary; the main characters (names and vocal ranges, where known); some of the especially noteworthy numbers cited by name; comments on special musical problems, techniques, or other significant aspects; and other settings of the text, including non-English ones, and/or other operas involving the same story or characters (cross references are indicated by asterisks). Entries also include such information as first and critical editions of the score and libretto; a bibliography, ranging from scholarly studies to more informal journal articles and reviews; a discography; and information on video recordings. Griffel also includes four appendixes, a selective bibliography, and two indexes. The first appendix lists composers, their places and years of birth and death, and their operas included in the text as entries; the second does the same for librettists; the third records authors whose works inspired or were adapted for the librettos; and the fourth comprises a chronological listing of the A–Z entries, including as well as the date of first performance, the city of the premiere, the short title of the opera, and the composer. Griffel also include a main character index and an index of singers, conductors, producers, and other key figures.
The definitive, deluxe art book about Edward Gorey's theater work—from the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Dracula to the wildly creative productions to which he devoted the last decade of his life. Edward Gorey (1925-2000) was a prodigious and original artist who published more than one hundred beloved works, including The Gashlycrumb Tinies, The Doubtful Guest, and Amphigorey, and illustrations that appeared regularly in such publications as The New Yorker and The New York Times and books by authors ranging from Charles Dickens and T.S. Eliot to John Updike and Virginia Woolf, among many others. His animated credits for the PBS Mystery! series introduced him to millions of television viewers. In addition to his intricate pen-and-ink drawings and darkly humorous storybooks, Gorey also nurtured a lifelong passion for the performing arts. This volume is the first to showcase his extensive theatrical work, including his transition from designing major productions to crafting original community theater pieces on Cape Cod. Written by his friend and collaborator Carol Verburg, this handsome hardcover edition is filled with annotated scripts, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and over two hundred images, including archival photos and previously unpublished artwork. It unveils Gorey at work and play, drawing back the curtain on his enigmatic genius, which continues to inspire artists and collectors today. BELOVED ARTIST: Edward Gorey's art is instantly recognizable. Storytellers such as Tim Burton and Daniel Handler cite him as an inspiration, and his influence is visible in the works of illustrators ranging from Tom Gauld to Stephanie von Reiswitz. With an oeuvre that ranges widely from storybooks to the stage, Gorey is a major artist of the 20th century. RARE AND UNPUBLISHED CONTENT: This is the first book focused on Gorey's theater work and includes previously unpublished and rarely seen archival photos, illustrations, and scripts—some annotated in Gorey's own hand. It is an essential read for collectors and fans. THE INSIDE STORY: Carol Verburg was Gorey's close friend and creative comrade-in-arms all through the last decade of his life, and she writes with insight and a personal touch. She intersperses her own reminiscences with quotes from actors and other collaborators to weave a vivid narrative. EXQUISITE GIFT: With rich visuals, engaging writing, and a luxurious hardcover package featuring a red velvet spine, this is a beautiful volume to display on a coffee table and the perfect gift for Gorey fans and theater buffs. Perfect for: Fans and collectors of Edward Gorey's books and illustrations Lovers of theater, theater history, and theatrical design and production Art students and collectors Readers of memoirs and biographies
The delightful tales and theatrical drawings of Edward Gorey (American, 1925-2000) reflect a special kind of genius for what is left unwritten and unseen. In Gorey's vaguely Victorian world of well-tended gardens and opulent estates, smoke-belching factories and fog-shrouded streets, nothing seems certain or quite as it should be. Chaos lurks just beneath life's tidy surface, occasionally erupting in surprising events with unexpected, often horrific consequences. But when tragedy befalls Gorey's quirky cast of characters-hapless waifs, dusty dowagers, scheming tycoons, and unhinged maidens-somehow we can't keep from laughing. Far from casting us into the abyss, Gorey reminds us to contemplate mortality with a smile. In Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey, more than 175 reproductions include samples from Gorey's books, illustrations produced for other writers, theatrical sets and costume designs, and a wealth of individual pieces, many never before published. Sketches, typewritten manuscripts, doodles, and musings join the generous selection of finished works. Published on the occasion of the first retrospective of Edward Gorey's work, at the Brandywine River Museum, Elegant Enigmas is a tribute to a master artist and writer, who with murderously dry humor created a body of work singular in its brilliance and charm.