Background
Redding, Joseph Deighn was born on September 13, 1859 in Sacramento, California, United States. Son of Benjamin Barnard and Mary Prescott (Putnam) Redding.
Redding, Joseph Deighn was born on September 13, 1859 in Sacramento, California, United States. Son of Benjamin Barnard and Mary Prescott (Putnam) Redding.
Graduate California Military Academy, 1874. Harvard Law School, 1877-1879.
In practice at San Francisco, since 1882. Counsel in California for rys. and large corporations Life member San Francisco Art Association (president 1885-1887). Lecturer on art and drama.
Speaker and writer. Commissioner from California to Paris Exposition, 1889. Wrote first of “grove” plays, professor by Bohemian Club in the redwood forest, 1902, which have since revived the ancient Greek form of outdoor drama in California. Wrote “Natoma,” the 1st successful grand opera in English language with American plot, produced Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 1911.
Author: Book of Natoma, 1911. Also numerous essays, etc. Wrote the grove play, 1912, “The Atonement of Pan” (produced in Bohemian Grove, August 1912, with David Bispham in title rôle).
Also essays and addresses. Composer of numerous published songs, quartets and piano pieces. Wrote the music for the Bohemian grove play of 1917, “The Land of Happiness,” book by Charles Templeton Crocker.
Conducted its initial performance, with orchestra of 70 pieces, in Bohemian Grove, August 8, 1917. Completed score of opera “Fay-Yen Fah,” 1921 (produced at Monte Carlo, France, February and March 1925). Wrote the grove play, Semper Virens (produced in Bohemian Grove, August 18, 1923).
President California Society of New York, 1903-1908.
Member San Francisco Art Association (president 1885-1887).
Married Myra Cowles, June 15, 1882.