Henry Beissel
Encyclopedia
Henry Eric Beissel is a writer and editor who has published 16 volumes of poetry, six books of plays, a non-fiction book on Canada, two anthologies of plays intended for use in high schools, and numerous essays and pieces of short fiction.
He first came to national attention with the controversial literary/political journal Edge (Edmonton
1963 – Montreal
1969).
Beissel's internationally successful Inuk and the Sun ("a mythic masterpiece", Sherrill Grace) premiered at the Stratford Festival of Canada
in 1973.
This was followed by a U.S. premiere in 1977 at The Other Theatre in Chicago's Bernard Horwich Jewish Community Center with a musical score by Douglas L Lieberman. The Other Theatre also commissioned Under Coyote's Eye and performed it at the Field Museum of Natural History
. Beissel's work has been translated into many languages.
Beissel had a long teaching career in English Literature, and later in Creative Writing, which started as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Toronto
.
He taught at the University of Munich (1960–62)), the University of Alberta
(1962–64), and Concordia University (1966–96), from which he retired as Distinguished Emeritus Professor of English.
He lives with his wife, Arlette Francière, in Ottawa
.
He first came to national attention with the controversial literary/political journal Edge (Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
1963 – Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
1969).
Beissel's internationally successful Inuk and the Sun ("a mythic masterpiece", Sherrill Grace) premiered at the Stratford Festival of Canada
Stratford Festival of Canada
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is an internationally recognized annual celebration of theatre running from April to November in the Canadian city of Stratford, Ontario...
in 1973.
This was followed by a U.S. premiere in 1977 at The Other Theatre in Chicago's Bernard Horwich Jewish Community Center with a musical score by Douglas L Lieberman. The Other Theatre also commissioned Under Coyote's Eye and performed it at the Field Museum of Natural History
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
. Beissel's work has been translated into many languages.
Beissel had a long teaching career in English Literature, and later in Creative Writing, which started as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
He taught at the University of Munich (1960–62)), the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
(1962–64), and Concordia University (1966–96), from which he retired as Distinguished Emeritus Professor of English.
He lives with his wife, Arlette Francière, in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
Awards
Beissel has received several awards: the first was the Norma Epstein Award for Creative Writing in 1958 at University of Toronto, the last the Walter-Bauer Literaturpreis, Merseburg (Germany), 1994.Selected bibliography
- New Wings for Icarus. Toronto: Coach House, 1966.
- A Different Sun (poems by Walter Bauer translated from the German). Ottawa: Oberon, 1976.
- Inuk and the Sun. Toronto: Gage, 1980.
- Under Coyote's Eye. Dunvegan, Ontario: Quadrant, 1980.
- Improvisations for Mr. X & the Noose. Dunvegan, Ontario: Cormorant, 1989.
- Kanada. Romantik und Wirklichkeit (with photographs by Janis Kraulis). Innsbruck: Pinguin Verlag, 1981.
- Cantos North. Moonbeam, Ontario: Penumbra, 1982.
- Season of Blood. Toronto: Mosaic, 1984.
- The Noose & Improvisations for Mister X. Dunvegan, Ontario: Cormorant, 1989.
- Dying I was Born. Waterloo, Ontario: Penumbra, 1992.
- Stones to Harvest. Gooderich, Ontario: Moonstone, 1993.
- Across the Sun's Warp. Ottawa: BuschekBooks, 2003.
Plays
- The Curve, University of Alberta, 1963
- A Trumpet For Nap, Little Angel Theatre, London, England. 1970
- Are You Afraid of Thieves?, Universite du Quebec, 1973, La Troupe Brin'si
- Inook And The Sun, The Stratford Festival, Canada, 1973
- For Crying Out Loud, Char-Lan Theatre Workshop, Williamstown, Ontario. 1975
- Goya, Montreal Theatre Lab, 1976
- Under Coyote's Eye, Other Theatre, Chicago, 1978
- The Emigrants, Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal. 1981
- Hedda Gabler, Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal. 1982 (translation)
- The Noose, University of Winnipeg, 1985
- The Glass Mountain, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba. 1990