Richardsparks Credits - New Rock New Role

Richard Sparks Credits

Richard Sparks is an English-born comedy writer, lyricist, librettist, author and director now living in Los Angeles. He has written extensively for television, film, radio and the stage as well as theater and the opera. His opera libretti include original works, mostly commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera, and translations/adaptations of Classic operas. He is the author of three non-fiction books. Richard wrote the Schoolmaster sketch for Rowan Atkinson (The Secret Policeman’s Ball). He was also a staff writer on Not The Nine o’Clock News. He had previously written two Edinburgh Fringe Oxford Revues starring Mel Smith.

New Rock New Role is Richard’s fantasy fiction debut. He has completed three sequels, which will be published in due course.

He is currently working on a fifth book in the New Rock series.

BIOGRAPHY

2022

Hansel and Gretel, Dallas Opera

2019-present

The New Rock adventure begins. New Rock New Role, the first book in the series, to be published November 21st 2023 by CEZIK SF & Fantasy

Three sequels have been written so far, and will be published in due course

(New Rock New Realm; New Rock New Rules; New Rock New Roads)

2018

Dulce Rosa, Montevideo, Uruguay

2017
Stage: Margarita Dreams, 2017 (Underbelly, Edinburgh)
Commission for the LA Opera: Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge: The Kugelmass Episode, (Based on a short story by Woody Allen)

2015
Original Libretto with composer Drew Schnurr: Linda’s Wake

2014
Original Libretto with composer Drew Schnurr: Of Mother and Daughter

2013
Directed and wrote Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge all for Los Angeles Opera: Dulce Rosa, (Based on a short story by Isabel Allende).

Directed The Soldier’s Tale by Stavinsky starring Jack Black for the Young Musicians Foundation at LACMA

2011
Book: Along the Cherry Lane, Biography of Milt Okun

2008
Book: Getting Lucky, Introduction by World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Tom McEvoy

2006
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge all for the Los Angeles Opera: Concierto Para Mendez,
New Libretto (translation and adaptation): Il Seraglio by Mozart (Washington Symphony),
New Libretto (translation and adaptation): Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck (Los Angeles Opera)

2005
Book: Diary of a Mad Poker Player

2003
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for the Los Angeles Opera: Tanis in America

2001
Film: The Ten-Minute Detective, directed and written by Richard Sparks music by Lee Holdridge.
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for the California Symphony: The Golden Land,
Film: Christmas in Vienna, Song “One More Year” sung by Placido Domingo, Venessa Williams, Composer Jorge Calandrelli

2000
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for Los Angeles Opera: The Magic Dream

1998
Film: The Secret of NIMH 2, (five songs for Eric Idle, Dom deLouise, Al Jarreau, Ralph Macchio )
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for Los Angeles Opera: The Prospector.

1996
Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for Los Angeles Opera: Journey to Cordoba,

1996
Film: The Adventures of Pinocchio, (lyrics for a puppet opera Il Colosso, with Brian May and Lee Holdridge, composers)

1991
Film: Lufton Manor with Mel Smith and Elvis Costello, BBC Directed and Written by Richard Sparks
Writer / Producer of Fundamental Frolics (Director Mel Smith) with Stephane Grappelli, the Not the Nine o’Clock News Team (Rowan Atkinson, Griff Rhys Jones, Mel Smith, Pamela Stephenson), Chris Langham, Stuart Copeland and Andy Summers, Hot Gossip, Ian Dury, Jon Anderson, Neil Innes, Alexi Sayle, Rick Mayall, Adrian Edmundson, Elvis Costello, Alan Price, Chas and Dave

1986
Stage: The Human Error, (Chichester Festival Theatre)

1984
Stage: The Crimson Lizard, (Latchmere Theatre; Leeds Playhouse; tour of New Zealand) starring Gavin Richards

1983
TV series: The Optimist, 1981 – 1983 (Two Seasons), Channel Four, starring Enn Reitel

1982
TV series: The Worst of Hollywood, Channel Four
TV series: Not the Nine O’clock News, 1979 – 82 BBC TV

1981
TV series: The Optimist, 1981 – 1983 (Two Seasons), Channel Four
TV series: Not the Nine O’clock News, 1979 – 82 BBC TV

1980
TV series: Not the Nine O’clock News, 1979 – 82 BBC TV
Stage: Winnie, (Apollo Victoria Theatre, Script Doctor) starring Robert Hardy and Virginia McKenna

1979
TV series: Not the Nine O’clock News, 1979 – 82 BBC TV
TV series: The Flying Kiwi, (Two Seasons, Richard wrote 23 of the 26 episodes on location in New Zealand), Portman Productions / ITV

1978
TV series: The Famous Five, 1976 – 78 (Two Seasons), Portman Productions / ITV
Stage: The Schoolmaster Sketch, (The Secret Policeman’s Ball, performed by Rowan Atkinson, Her Majesty’s Theatre, BBC TV)
Stage: Having a Ball (Hampstead Theatre), starring Rowan Atkinson

1977
TV series: The Famous Five, 1976 – 78 (Two Seasons), Portman Productions / ITV
Stage: Blue Dot Disease, 1977 (Orange Tree Theatre)

1976
TV series: The Famous Five, 1976 – 78 (Two Seasons), Portman Productions / ITV
Stage: It Happened in Venice, (Welsh National Theatre)
Stage: Hegel and Bagel, (Ricky Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh Fringe; Orange Tree Theatre)
Stage: The Artful Widow,(Greenwich Theatre)

1975
TV Series: Cambriantics, HTV Wales
Stage: On the Box, (Welsh National Theatre)

1974
Stage: A Nice Pair (Ricky Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh Fringe; Bush Theatre)

1973
Stage: Oxford Revue 2, (Edinburgh Fringe) starring Mel Smith

1972
Stage: Oxford Revue 1, (Edinburgh Fringe) starring Mel Smith

OPERAS

Original Libretti with composer Lee Holdridge all for Los Angeles Opera: The Kugelmass Episode, 2017

Directed and wrote Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge all for Los Angeles Opera: Dulce Rosa, 2013

Directed Don Giovanni 2006 with the El Dorado Opera

Original Libretti with composer Lee Holdridge all for Los Angeles Opera:
Journey to Cordoba, 1996 with Daniel deNeise
The Prospector, 1998
The Magic Dream, 2000
Tanis in America, 2003
Concierto Para Mendez, 2006
Dulce Rosa, 2013
The Kugelmass Episode, 2017

Original Libretto with composer Lee Holdridge for the California Symphony, The Golden Land, 2001

Original Libretto with composer Drew Schnurr:
Of Mother and Daughter, 2014
Linda’s Wake, 2015

New Libretti (translations and adaptations)
Il Seraglio, 2006 (Washington Symphony) by Mozart
Hansel and Gretel 2006 / 2018 / 2022 (Los Angeles Opera & Dallas Opera) by Humperdinck

NON FICTION BOOKS

Diary of a Mad Poker Player, 2005

Getting Lucky, 2008, Introduction by World Series of Poker Main Event Champion, Tom McEvoy.

Along the Cherry Lane, 2011 Biography of music producer and publisher, Milt Okun

TV AND RADIO

On Staff at Columbia Pictures Television, 1991-1992

The Worst of Hollywood, 1982, Chanel Four

The Optimist, 1981 – 1983 (Two Seasons), Channel Four

Schoolmaster Sketch, 1978 (The Secret Policeman’s Ball, performed by Rowan Atkinson, Her Majesty’s Theatre, BBC TV) directed by John Cleese

Not the Nine O’clock News, 1979 – 82 BBC TV

The Flying Kiwi, 1979 (Two Seasons), Portman Productions / ITV

The Famous Five, 1976 – 78 (Two Seasons), Portman Productions / ITV

Cambriantics, 1975, HTV Wales

PLAYS

Stage: Margarita Dreams, 2017 (Underbelly, Edinburgh)

Stage: The Human Error, 1986 (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Stage: The Crimson Lizard, 1984 (Latchmere Theatre; Leeds Playhouse; tour of New Zealand) starring Gavin Richards

Stage: Winnie, 1980 (Apollo Victoria Theatre, Script Doctor) starring Robert Hardy and Virginia McKenna

Stage: Schoolmaster Sketch, 1978 (The Secret Policeman’s Ball, performed by Rowan Atkinson, Her Majesty’s Theatre, BBC TV )directed by John Cleese

Writer / Producer of Fundamental Frolics Director Mel Smith 1991 with Stephane Grappelli, Not the Nine O’clock News Team, Alexi Sayle, Rick Mayall, Elvis Costello

Stage: The Artful Widow, 1976 (Greenwich Theatre)

Stage: It Happened in Venice, 1976 (Welsh National Theatre)

Stage: Blue Dot Disease, 1977 (Orange Tree Theatre)

Stage: Hegel and Bagel, 1976 (Ricky Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh Fringe; Orange Tree Theatre

Stage: On the Box, 1975 (Welsh National Theatre)

Stage: A Nice Pair, 1974 (Ricky Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh Fringe; Bush Theatre)

Stage: Two Oxford Revues, 1972 and 1973 (Edinburgh Fringe) starring Mel Smith

REVIEWS

Dulce Rosa

LA Opera Press Release, Hollywood Reporter: Jim Farber, Form Magazine: Michael Webb, Huffington Post Arts and Culture: Hoyt Hillsman, Huffington Post Los Angeles: Jay Weston, LA Times: Richard Ginell, LA Weekly: Steven Leigh Morris, LA Times: Reed Johnson, “Dulce Rosa’s new life” Isabel Allende, Libretto: Richard Sparks