Jeremy Sams

Biography

Jeremy Sams is a distinguished British figure in the arts, celebrated as a director, composer, lyricist, and translator. Born in 1957, his eclectic career spans the worlds of theatre, opera, and film, demonstrating a rare versatility and profound musical and linguistic skill.

🎓 Early Life and Foundation

Sam's academic background established the foundation for his varied career. He studied Music, French, and German at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and further pursued piano studies at the Guildhall School of Music. He initially worked as a freelance pianist and opera coach, including stints as a répétiteur at opera houses, before making his mark in theatrical production.

🎼 Career as a Composer and Musical Director

Sams is an award-winning composer for film and television. His work is often noted for its sensitivity to period and mood:

BAFTA Award: He won a BAFTA for Best Music for his score for the 1995 BBC film adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Ivor Novello Award: He received the Ivor Novello Award for Best Score for a Feature Film for the 2004 screen adaptation of Ian McEwan's Enduring Love.

Theatre Music: He has composed, arranged, and directed music for dozens of theatre productions, including critically acclaimed Royal National Theatre (RNT) productions like Tom Stoppard's Arcadia.

🗣️ Translator and Adaptor

Perhaps one of Sams's most prolific contributions is his work as a translator and adaptor, making classic European works accessible to English-speaking audiences.

Opera: His opera translations are extensively used, notably his English versions of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute, Puccini's La Bohème, and even Wagner's monumental The Ring Cycle for the English National Opera (ENO).

Plays: He has translated classic dramas for the Royal National Theatre, including Schiller's Mary Stuart and Molière's The Miser.

Musicals and Stage Adaptations: Sams wrote the book and lyrics for the Broadway musical Amour (earning him Tony and Drama Desk nominations) and the libretto for the Metropolitan Opera's pastiche work, The Enchanted Island. He also penned the stage adaptation of the classic film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

🎬 Director and Theatre Revivals

As a director, Sams is known for successfully staging both classic plays and new musicals in the West End and on Broadway:

Noises Off: He directed the critically acclaimed revival of Michael Frayn's farce at the RNT, which transferred to the West End and Broadway, earning him a Tony Award nomination.

Spend Spend Spend: He directed this West End musical about lottery winner Viv Nicholson, which garnered him an Olivier Award nomination.

Other Directing Credits include the London Palladium and touring productions of The Sound of Music and his work on the Broadway musical 13.