W.H. Auden

Wystan Hugh Auden, known as W.H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet, writer, and lyricist, born on February 21, 1907, in York, England, and died on September 29, 1973, in Vienna, Austria. Renowned for his poetry, Auden also made a notable contribution to theatre through his collaborations with composers and fellow writers, particularly in the realm of opera and musical theatre.

Auden’s work as a lyricist includes his celebrated collaboration with composer Benjamin Britten on the operetta Paul Bunyan (1941), where he brought a modernist poetic touch to the libretto. He also worked with fellow poet and writer Christopher Isherwood on several plays in the 1930s, including The Dog Beneath the Skin and The Ascent of F6, which reflected their shared political and philosophical concerns.

In 1951, Auden co-wrote the libretto for Igor Stravinsky’s opera The Rake’s Progress alongside Chester Kallman. The work is often cited as one of the finest examples of mid-20th-century opera, blending classical form with Auden’s characteristically sharp, ironic verse. His literary voice brought intellectual depth and poetic precision to theatrical texts.

Though primarily known as a poet, Auden’s theatrical output shows his versatility and his fascination with myth, morality, and the human psyche. His language is often layered, cerebral, and striking, well-suited to collaboration with composers and directors working in stylized or allegorical modes.

W.H. Auden remains one of the towering literary figures of the 20th century. His contributions to theatre, though fewer than his poetic works, reveal a writer deeply engaged with form, performance, and the power of the spoken word.