Michel Fagadau (born Mihai Făgădău, 1930– February 10, 2011) was a Romanian-born French theater director and producer. Born in Bucharest, his family had to leave Romania during the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

due to his father's

antifascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

activities. They ended up in the

Orient The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the c ...

, where they stayed for two years, and where he started to learn English. After the war they settled in France. He took his

Baccalauréat The ''baccalauréat'' (; ), often known in France colloquially as the ''bac'', is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the ''lycée'') by meeting certain ...

degree there, and then went to London to study acting at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

. After only six months in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, he was hired by the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

, studying in parallel at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. When he graduated in 1957, he continued to work for the Royal Shakespeare Company. It was the same company where directed his first play, ''Voulez-vous jouer avec moâ'' by

Marcel Achard Marcel Achard (5 July 1899 – 4 September 1974) was a French playwright and screenwriter whose popular sentimental comedies Garzanti p. 3 maintained his position as a highly recognizable name in his country's theatrical and literary circles ...

. In 1960, he was entrusted with the leadership of the "Théâtre de la Gaîté Montparnasse" in Paris, a post he held until 1990. In 1994, he became artistic director of the Comédie des Champs Elysée and Studio des Champs-Elysée. An admirer of

Montgomery Clift Edward Montgomery Clift (; October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to ''The New York Times''. He is best remembered ...

and

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

, he died in Paris on February 10, 2011.

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fagadau, Michel 1920 births 2011 deaths Theatre people from Bucharest Romanian expatriates in France French theatre managers and producers French theatre directors