William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised on 26 April 1564. Thought to have been educated at the local grammar school, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he went on to have three children, at the age of eighteen, before moving to London to work in the theatre. Two erotic poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were published in 1593 and 1594 and records of his plays begin to appear in 1594 for Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Shakespeare's tragic period lasted from around 1600 to 1608, during which period he wrote plays including Hamlet and Othello. The first editions of the sonnets were published in 1609 but evidence suggests that Shakespeare had been writing them for years for a private readership.

Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, by now a wealthy man. He died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623.

(The portrait details: The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. NPG1, © National Portrait Gallery, London)

David Serero is an opera singer, actor, stage and film director, producer, and author. He has received international recognition and critical acclaim from all over the world. He has written several adaptations of theater classics in English and French. He has also written his plays, such as "I, Napoleon," "I, Beethoven," I', Marie-Antoinette," "I, Marilyn Monroe," and "The Trial of Adolf Eichmann." As an author, he has written several books (outside of the entertainment world), such as "Operation Odessa" and "From I CAN'T BREATHE' to 'Black Lives Matter': How George Floyd's Tragic Death Changed America."

David Serero is a critically acclaimed and awards-winner opera singer, actor, director, and producer. He has performed more than 2,500 performances in more than 45 countries, directed and produced nearly 100 theatrical productions, starred in over 100 films and TV series, recorded and produced over 100 albums, and played more than 50 lead and title roles (in several languages) from the opera, theatre, and musical repertoire. In New York, he starred Off-Broadway in iconic roles such as Shylock, Cyrano, Othello, Barabas, Yiddish King Lear, Don Giovanni, Figaro, Romeo, Nabucco, as well as new works such as Napoleon by Stanley Kubrick, Queen Esther, Anne Frank a Musical, among others. In his native Paris, he starred as Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha) and Happy Mac (Beggar's Holiday by Duke Ellington). He entered the prestigious Who's Who America for demonstrating outstanding achievements in the entertainment world and for the betterment of contemporary society. In 2019, he received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, the Morocco Day Distinguished Achievement Award, Trophy of the Culture of Morocco. Morocco's airline Royal Air Maroc named him among the fifteen most influential Moroccans worldwide. David is a member of the Recording Academy and the Television Academy and a voting member of both the Grammys and Emmys. In 2020, David Serero received the UNESCO Award for Diversity in Paris and became an Honorary Member of the United Nations of Arts and Science. In 2021, he won 4 BroadwayWorld Awards for Best Performer of the Decade, Best Producer of a Musical of the Decade, Best Producer of a Play of the decade, and Best Opera Singer of the Year. He was awarded the Certificate of Recognition by the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, for his contribution to the City's dynamic cultural landscape, enriching the vibrant performing arts sector, and uplifted and inspired diverse New Yorkers. In 2021, his first documentary film on fashion designer Elie Tahari received nearly 100 film festival selections and won dozens of awards, including Best Director, Best Documentary, Best Fashion Documentary, and Best Producer. In 2022, he created the first national opera of Morocco: L'Opera Royal du Maroc (The Royal Opera of Morocco) www.davidserero.com