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Words of Wisdom

Julie Taymor: “Limitations force you to find the essence of what you want to say”

“Limitations force you to find the essence of what you want to say, which is one of the most important things to know for an artist.”
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Julie Taymor (b. 1952) is an American director of theatre, opera, and film. She is best known for her trademark style of visionary design and direction, most famously embodied in her Tony winning work on The Lion King. Along with her two Tonys, Taymor is also the recipient of two Obie awards, a Guggenheim fellowship, and a MacArthur Fellowship. Her films include Frida, Across the Universe, and Titus.


“Limitations force you to find the essence of what you want to say, which is one of the most important things to know for an artist.”

As quoted in “Oh, girl : A Talk with Julie Taymor” at Subtitles to Cinema (2 September 2008)

(h/t Wikiquote)

Photo credits:

(L)”Il Re Leone Insegne in Time Square” by WitchblueWitchblue. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

(R)”Julie Taymor Shankbone 2009 Metropolitan Opera” by David ShankboneDavid Shankbone. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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