Rupert Christiansen
Encyclopedia
Rupert Christiansen is an English writer, journalist and critic, grandson of Arthur Christiansen (editor of the Daily Express
) and son of Kay and Michael Christiansen (editor of the Sunday and Daily Mirror). Born in London, he was educated at Millfield
and King's College, Cambridge
, where he took a double first in English. As a Fulbright scholar, he also attended Columbia University
from 1977 to 1978.
He has written a number of books, including a biography of Victorian poet Arthur Hugh Clough
, and won the Somerset Maugham Award
in 1988 for Romantic Affinities. He has also written for many British and American newspapers and periodicals, including The Spectator
, Harper's and Queen, Vanity Fair
, Times Literary Supplement and Literary Review
. Formerly arts editor of Harper's and Queen and deputy arts editor of The Observer
, he has been opera critic and arts columnist of the Daily Telegraph and dance critic of The Mail on Sunday
since 1996. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
in 1997. He sits on the boards of Opera
magazine, the Charleston Trust
and the Gate Theatre. In 2010, he was appointed to the international jury of the Birgit Nilsson Prize
.
In 2009, he entered a civil partnership with the architectural critic Ellis Woodman.
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
) and son of Kay and Michael Christiansen (editor of the Sunday and Daily Mirror). Born in London, he was educated at Millfield
Millfield
Millfield is an independent school in Street in Somerset, in south-west England.The school currently has a roll of 1,260 pupils, of whom 910 are boarders...
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, where he took a double first in English. As a Fulbright scholar, he also attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1977 to 1978.
He has written a number of books, including a biography of Victorian poet Arthur Hugh Clough
Arthur Hugh Clough
Arthur Hugh Clough was an English poet, an educationalist, and the devoted assistant to ground-breaking nurse Florence Nightingale...
, and won the Somerset Maugham Award
Somerset Maugham Award
The Somerset Maugham Award is a British literary prize given each May by the Society of Authors. It is awarded to whom they judge to be the best writer or writers under the age of thirty-five of a book published in the past year. The prize was instituted in 1947 by William Somerset Maugham and thus...
in 1988 for Romantic Affinities. He has also written for many British and American newspapers and periodicals, including The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, Harper's and Queen, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, Times Literary Supplement and Literary Review
Literary Review
Literary Review is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at Edinburgh University. Its offices are currently on Lexington Street in Soho, London, and it has a circulation of 44,750. Britain's principal literary monthly, the magazine was...
. Formerly arts editor of Harper's and Queen and deputy arts editor of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, he has been opera critic and arts columnist of the Daily Telegraph and dance critic of The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday is a British conservative newspaper, currently published in a tabloid format. First published in 1982 by Lord Rothermere, it became Britain's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper following the closing of The News of the World in July 2011...
since 1996. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury...
in 1997. He sits on the boards of Opera
Opera (magazine)
Opera is a monthly British magazine devoted to covering all things related to opera.Based in London, the magazine was founded in 1950 by George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood. It was launched at the house of Richard Buckle, under the imprint 'Ballet Publications Ltd'...
magazine, the Charleston Trust
Charleston Farmhouse
Charleston, the country home of the Bloomsbury group is an example of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant's decorative style within a domestic context and represents the fruition of over sixty years of artistic creativity...
and the Gate Theatre. In 2010, he was appointed to the international jury of the Birgit Nilsson Prize
Birgit Nilsson Prize
The Birgit Nilsson Prize is an international music prize founded by the famous opera singer herself. It awards a single performing artist, a conductor or a production in the field of opera or classical music with one million dollars....
.
In 2009, he entered a civil partnership with the architectural critic Ellis Woodman.
Books
- The Complete Book of Aunts
- Faber Pocket Guide to Opera
- Once More, with Feeling!: A Book of Classic Hymns
- Romantic Affinities: Portraits From an Age, 1780-1830
- Paris Babylon: Grandeur, Decadence and Revolution 1869-75
- The Voice of Victorian Sex: Arthur H CloughArthur Hugh CloughArthur Hugh Clough was an English poet, an educationalist, and the devoted assistant to ground-breaking nurse Florence Nightingale...
1819-1861 - The Visitors: Culture Shock in 19th Century Britain
- William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
: The Mystery of the World's Greatest Playwright - Prima Donna: A History
- The Grand Obsession - An Anthology of Opera
External links
- Rupert Christiansen on WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...
- National Public Radio, Rupert Christiansen in conversation with Scott Simon, Weekend Edition, 15 December 2007
- Rupert Christiansen's blog on the Charles Dickens novel Great ExpectationsGreat ExpectationsGreat Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens. It was first published in serial form in the publication All the Year Round from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. It has been adapted for stage and screen over 250 times....