PuzzleWatch: Shakespeare in Music and Movies

From Verdi's operas to the films of Orson Welles, Shakespeare's plays have left an indelible mark on generations of artists. But how much do you really know about the Bard and his admirers?

June 18, 2023

Daryl Browne

Culture, PuzzleWatch

Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Allen Elizabethan Theatre. Photo: Jenny Graham

There’s something about Shakespeare in the summer. And Shakespeare in the summer in Oregon – it’s the best.

We have the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, where this season you can see Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night. In Portland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is at Portland Center Stage until July 2. And if you fancy Shakespeare al fresco, check online for Shakespeare-in-the-Park offerings in Bend, Eugene, Coos Bay, and Portland.

In this puzzle, you’ll discover the many ways in which Shakespeare’s words and characters have been honored in music and the movies. Othello, for example, has been adapted into film 19 times, twice transformed into opera (as Otello), set as a ballet by Elliot Goldenthal and an overture by Dvořák. There are Songs of Ariel and Ophelia-Lieder. Shakespeare himself even had poor Emelia sing as she dies in Othello.

So, whether at the theater or under the stars, in music or in the movies, enjoy your Shakespeare this summer. And enjoy the puzzle.

Shakespeare in Music and Movies – Click here for an interactive puzzle you can fill out in your web browser