Over the centuries William Shakespeare's works have inspired ballets, motion pictures, musicals and operas. The following is a selection of these works available the LAPL collection.
Selected titles from LAPL's collection, in connection with an exhibit that was at the Central Library, Getty Gallery, November 2016 to February 2017, from the Folger Library: America's Shakespeare - The Bard Goes West.
A modern version of The taming of the shrew set in a high school.
Musical based on The comedy of errors.
During World War II, a faithful dresser prepares an aging, cantankerous actor for a performance of King Lear.
Based on a character in The merry wives of Windsor.
Based on a character in The merry wives of Windsor.
![Book cover for Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth opera by Giuseppe Verdi ; libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after William Shakespeare ; producer, Luca Ronconi ; [a co-production of RM Arts/ZDF and La Sept].](https://lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/staff_recommends_x97w/public/items/2020/c3d020ad2bc63a75de51e2e6ea098497.jpg?itok=iWrxAyi2)
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet.
![Book cover for Julius Caesar by George Frederic Handel ; libretto, Nicola Haym ; [produced by] The English National Opera ; produced by John Copely ; directed for television by John Michael Phillips ; produced by RM](https://lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/staff_recommends_x97w/public/items/2020/cfbf381d55fdf15785b274cd4eeaf2dd.jpg?itok=LtDMHvAM)
King Lear set in 19th century Texas.
References The taming of the shrew.
References Hamlet.
References Hamlet.
![Book cover for Macbeth opera by Giuseppe Verdi ; libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after William Shakespeare ; producer, Luca Ronconi ; [a co-production of RM Arts/ZDF and La Sept].](https://lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/staff_recommends_x97w/public/items/2020/d51bdf43e7202b8f6da8f1f9737c2367.jpg?itok=Vn-EwtUG)
The setting is modern-day, but the play is the original.
Akira Kurosawa's interpretation of King Lear, set in 16th century Japan.
![Book cover for Romeo and Juliet [produced and directed by Paul Czinner].](https://lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/staff_recommends_x97w/public/items/2020/c1ced83d906f012c8679227d29166d00.jpg?itok=xasTEtjm)
A comedy about William Shakespeare who is suffering from writer's block A love affair with a beautiful woman inspires him once again to write.
References Macbeth, Taming of the shrew, Midsummer night's dream, Much ado about nothing
An early James Ivory film, with Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's screenplay of The Shakespeare wallah: the autobiography of Geoffrey Kendall. It is Kendall's story of how he and his daughter, Felicity Kendall, and a troupe of actors traveled around India performing Shakespeare's plays.
Inspired by The twelfth night.
In 17th century England women were not permitted to act on the stage, but one woman dares to perform as Desdemona in Othello.
References Macbeth.
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet.