Well-known to British theater fans, Anton Lesser has performed many principal roles with the Royal Shakespeare Theater and appeared in numerous classics on BBC-TV including The Cherry Orchard and The Mill on the Floss. Anton began working in audiobooks nearly 15 years ago at the time Nicolas Soames began Naxos AudioBooks’s publishing program. He has recorded a sterling list of classics including The ILIAD, THE ODYSSEY, ROMEO & JULIET, HAMLET, and PYGMALION. The success of even the best abridgments relies on a keen understanding of the whole work by the narrator. His audiography also includes many favorite Dickens novels—GREAT EXPECTATIONS, OLIVER TWIST, and A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Anton has had a second crack at the last as a new recording of the unabridged version will be published this fall. Anton told us how much he enjoyed recording all the “treasures” of the unabridged text. His performance of Milton’s PARADISE LOST(unabridged) is also due out soon. Anton’s performances of modern master Philip Pullman’s works are getting attention from American audiences this year. We celebrate Anton’s compelling performances of THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE and THE SHADOW IN THE NORTH in this issue. He has just begun work on Pullman’s new book, THE SCARECROW AND HIS SERVANT, available in the U.S. this fall.

Anton Lesser