My friend Graham Billing, who has died of cancer aged 74, was a stalwart in the cultural life of west Wiltshire and a popular figure in the local arts world. His role as a central hub in a wide range of creative activities won him the affection and admiration of many friends, notably those of us in his book group, in the opera, drama and theatre societies he joined, and among the pupils he taught many years ago.
His knowledge of literature, music, art, theatre, language, film and more was prodigious. As a multilinguist he translated plays, operas and texts for the groups to which he belonged. He was an accomplished actor and entertainer, starring in many Shakespeare plays for the Bradfordians Dramatic Society in Bradford-on-Avon for more than 20 years – notably as Lear in King Lear and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice – and singing in operas from La Traviata to Pirates of Penzance. In our reading group his perceptive analysis of the books opened our eyes to a wider appreciation of fiction and nonfiction, modern and classic books.
