Theatre Costume thumbnail 1
Theatre Costume thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Theatre Costume

ca. 1950
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Costume for Albrecht in Act II of the ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 5 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Cuff
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Cuff
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Doublet
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Cuff
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Cuff
Materials and techniques
Silk velvet; silk; metal; cord
Brief description
Costume for Albrecht in Act II of ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946. Cuff.

Costume for Albrecht in Act II of ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946. Cuff.

Doublet, part of a costume for Albrecht in Act II of ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946.

Cuff, part of a costume for Albrecht in Act II of ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946.

Cuff, part of a costume for Albrecht in Act II of ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946.
Physical description
Costume for Albrecht in Act II worn by Michael Somes and Richard Farley.

The costume includes a short tunic of black silk velvet and cream silk. There are also 4 detachable cuffs.

The tunic has short, full, puffed sleeves, in which lengths of black silk velvet has been used to create a 'slashed' effect and the black silk cuffs are decorated with coiled lengths of metallic gold cord. Panels of deep yellow fabric have been used to edge the centre front opening. These panels are embellished with a stylised floral pattern in black silk velvet.

Each sleeve cuff features a cream ribbed silk ground and black silk velvet upper section. The central part of upper section is divided into 10 wide strips, exposing the cream silk ground beneath and creating an effect which imitates the 'slashed' decoration used in 16th and 17th century dress. These strips remain connected along the wide sides of this upper section. These side sections are decorated with a coiled pattern formed from lengths of metallic gold cord, couched in place and embellished with black plastic imitation 'jewels' of varying sizes.
A single round press stud is present on the underside of the cuff, at the centre of the top edge. Four metal hooks and corresponding metal eyes are positioned along each edge of the cuff.
Dimensions
  • Tunic, neck to hem length: 61cm
  • Tunic, across shoulders width: 48cm
  • Cuffs length: 25cm
  • Cuffs width: 9cm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
'LEFT' (S.1632C) and 'RIGHT' (S.1632D) (Handwritten annotation in blue biro on the rear of the cuffs.)
Credit line
Given by the Royal Academy of Dance
Object history
Costume for Albrecht in Act II worn by Michael Somes and Richard Farley in the ballet 'Giselle', Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 12th June 1946 (revised and enlarged 13th September 1951). The production was staged by Nicholas Sergueeff after the choreography by Perrot, Coralli and Petipa. The music was composed by Adolphe Adam, and the scenery and costumes were designed by James Bailey.

Bailey revised his designs again for a third production by The Royal Ballet in June 1980.
Production
Reason For Production: Commission
Associations
Literary references
  • Giselle
  • The World of Giselle
Summary
Costume for Albrecht in Act II of the ballet Giselle after Coralli, Royal Opera House, 1946.
Collection
Accession number
S.1632&D-1982

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Record createdOctober 29, 2004
Record URL
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