Ronald Duncan
(1914-1982), Playwright and poetRonald Frederick Henry Duncan
Sitter in 10 portraits
Born in Rhodesia, writer and playwright Duncan was a pacifist, and in 1937 wrote the words for the Pacifist March, composed by Benjamin Britten for the Peace Pledge Union. They worked together again after the Second World War when he wrote the libretto for Britten's chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia (1946). Although surprised when replaced by Eric Crozier, who worked with Britten on his next opera Albert Herring (1947), Duncan and Britten remained friends, and in 1949 Britten provided incidental music for Duncan's play Stratton. His other work includes the plays This Way to the Tomb (1945), Our Lady's Tumbler (1951), Don Juan (1953) and The Catalyst (1958
Benjamin Britten; Ronald Duncan; Peter Pears
by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1950
NPG x15221
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1951
NPG x88937
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1951
NPG x88938
Ronald Duncan and an unknown man
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1951
NPG x88939
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1951
NPG x88941
Ronald Duncan and two unknown men
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1951
NPG x88940
by Nicholas Elder
black and white matt print on card mount, April 1972
NPG x4033
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