Nisim Aloni

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Nissim Aloni
נסים אלוני
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Occupation(s)Playwright and translator
SpouseElana Eden (m. 1962; div. 1965)
Awards

Nissim Aloni (Hebrew: נסים אלוני, 24 August 1926 – 13 June 1998) was an Israeli playwright and translator.

Biography

Aloni was born Nissim Levi to poor Bulgarian Jewish immigrant parents in Mandate Palestine. His family lived in Florentin, a low-income neighborhood in south Tel Aviv, which later became an inspiration for his work.[1]

After graduating from high school, Aloni enlisted in the

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[1]

In his later years, a stroke left him severely handicapped.[1] He died on 13 June, 1998 at a hospital in Tel Aviv.[1][2]

Literary career

In 1953, his first play, Most Cruel the King, was produced at the national

Hagashash Hachiver
, and produced some of their programs, such as Cinema Gashash and Cantata for Shawarma.

Many of his plays involve royalty, such as The King's Clothes, The American Princess, The Bride and the Hunter of Butterflies (adapted for television by Ram Loevy), Edi King. His other plays include The Gypsies of Jaffa, The Revolution and the Chicken, Lukas the Coward, The Raucous Dying, Napoleon Dead or Alive.

Aloni held actress Hanna Rovina in high esteem, and wrote a play, Aunt Liza, specifically for her to act the lead part.

He has also published a collection of prose, Notes of a Stray Cat.

Awards and critical acclaim

  • In 1983, Aloni was a co-recipient (jointly with Ozer Rabin) of the Bialik Prize for literature.[3]
  • In 1992, he became honorary fellow of
    The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, Jerusalem
    .
  • In 1996, he was awarded the Israel Prize for stage arts – dramatics.[4]

Works outside of Israel

"The American Princess" was translated from Hebrew to Swedish by Viveka Heiman and then from Swedish to Norwegian by Jens Bjorneboe. It was produced by Oslo city theater Den Nye Theater, directed by Izzy Abrahami. Abrahami convinced the Israeli consul in Oslo to invite Aloni to the premier. Aloni, who reportedly sat next to the Norwegian king, brought Abrahami an original painting by Yosl Bergner as thanks.

Commemoration

In November 2009, a street was named for him in Tel Aviv.[5]

Published works

Plays

  • Nesikhah ha-Ameriḳaʾit (Tel Aviv, 1963) translated as "The American princess" by Richard Flantz ()
  • Akhzar mi-kol ha-melekh (Cruel from all King) (Tel Aviv, 1968)
  • Edi King, a play in two acts (Tel Aviv, 1975)
  • Ha-Kalah ṿe-tsayad ha-parparim (The Bride and the Butterfly Hunter) (Tel Aviv, 1980)
  • Napolyon, ḥai o met! (Napoleon Alive or Dead) (Tel Aviv, 1993)
  • Dodah Lizah (Aunt Liza) (Tel Aviv, 2000)
  • Ha-Tsoʻanim shel Yafo (The Gypsies of Jaffa) (Tel Aviv, 2000)
  • Bigde ha-melekh (The Emperor's Clothes) (Tel Aviv, 2004)

Literature

  • Reshimot shel ḥatul reḥov (Lists of Feral Cat) (Tel Aviv, 1996)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Nissim Aloni – Curriculum Vitae". Ben-Gurion University of Negev – Hebrew Literacy Archives. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  2. ^ "Nissim Aloni, 72, Author and Playwright". New York Times. 21 June 1998. pp. 35 (section 1, NY edition_. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  3. ^ "List of Bialik Prize recipients 1933–2004 (in Hebrew), Tel Aviv Municipality website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 17, 2007.
  4. ^ "Israel Prize Official Site – Recipients in 1996 (in Hebrew)".
  5. ^ Tel Aviv to name street after playwright Aloni

Further reading

  • ʻAl melakhim, śaḥḳanim ṿe-tsoʻanim : meḥḳarim be-yetsirato ha-teʾaṭronit shel Nisim Aloni edited by Nurit Yaʻari.

External links

  • Nissim Aloni at the Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature