Theatre Costume
Circa 1910 (Designed)
| Artist/Maker |
Costume for The Firebird designed by Alexandre Golovin, 1910
The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) was first produced in 1910 with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine it was premiered by the Ballets Russes in Paris on 25th June 1910. The story of the ballet was inspired by a Russian folk tale and narrates the adventure of Prince Ivan, who, with the help of the Firebird, defeats the evil Kostcheï to rescue and marry the Princess he loves.
Alexandre Golovin (1863-1930) was a Russian stage designer and painter. He began making theatrical designs in 1898, and in 1902 he moved from Moscow to St Petersburg to work for the imperial theatres. He was a member of the World of Art group and worked with Benois on designs for Diaghilev's production of Mussorgsky's opera Boris Gudunov at the Paris Opera in 1908. The success of this production encouraged Diaghilev to take his ballet company (which became famous as the Ballets Russes) to Paris the following year. Golovin also worked for many other eminent figures in the history of the stage, including Konstantin Stanislavsky in Moscow and Ida Rubinstein in Paris. His style was rich and architectural. As a painter his work included landscapes, still-lifes, and portraits, among them several of notable stage personalities (Chaliapin in the Role of Boris Godunov, Russian Museum, St Petersburg, 1912).
The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) was first produced in 1910 with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine it was premiered by the Ballets Russes in Paris on 25th June 1910. The story of the ballet was inspired by a Russian folk tale and narrates the adventure of Prince Ivan, who, with the help of the Firebird, defeats the evil Kostcheï to rescue and marry the Princess he loves.
Alexandre Golovin (1863-1930) was a Russian stage designer and painter. He began making theatrical designs in 1898, and in 1902 he moved from Moscow to St Petersburg to work for the imperial theatres. He was a member of the World of Art group and worked with Benois on designs for Diaghilev's production of Mussorgsky's opera Boris Gudunov at the Paris Opera in 1908. The success of this production encouraged Diaghilev to take his ballet company (which became famous as the Ballets Russes) to Paris the following year. Golovin also worked for many other eminent figures in the history of the stage, including Konstantin Stanislavsky in Moscow and Ida Rubinstein in Paris. His style was rich and architectural. As a painter his work included landscapes, still-lifes, and portraits, among them several of notable stage personalities (Chaliapin in the Role of Boris Godunov, Russian Museum, St Petersburg, 1912).
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Costume for ?Wife of Kostchei in Fokine's ballet The Firebird, Diaghilev Ballet, 1910. Blue georgette painted skirt with pink lines |
| Physical description | A long sleeved tunic with a silk bodice and artificial lace skirt which reaches to just below the knee. The silk bodice has been painted with vertical bands of pale green and blue at the waist with two thicker horizontal bands of blue above. It is embroidered with rows of bright silver and gold sequins with additional decoration in the form of false red 'jewels' and pearls. The pearls pick out a yellow 'leaf shaped' motif which has been appliquéd at the centre of the tunic. Two similar yellow 'leaves/flames', with matching decorations, have been appliquéd on either side of this central motif. The long sleeves have also been decorated with horizontal rows of sequins, though many of the sequins have become detached from the right hand sleeve. Below this silk tunic is a silver skirt made from stiff, artificial lace. Strips of cream and pale green silk (some decorated with a small row of beads at the base and a vertical row of sequins) are suspended from the base of the bodice and rest against the skirt. |
| Literary reference | The Firebird |
| Summary | Costume for The Firebird designed by Alexandre Golovin, 1910 The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) was first produced in 1910 with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Michel Fokine it was premiered by the Ballets Russes in Paris on 25th June 1910. The story of the ballet was inspired by a Russian folk tale and narrates the adventure of Prince Ivan, who, with the help of the Firebird, defeats the evil Kostcheï to rescue and marry the Princess he loves. Alexandre Golovin (1863-1930) was a Russian stage designer and painter. He began making theatrical designs in 1898, and in 1902 he moved from Moscow to St Petersburg to work for the imperial theatres. He was a member of the World of Art group and worked with Benois on designs for Diaghilev's production of Mussorgsky's opera Boris Gudunov at the Paris Opera in 1908. The success of this production encouraged Diaghilev to take his ballet company (which became famous as the Ballets Russes) to Paris the following year. Golovin also worked for many other eminent figures in the history of the stage, including Konstantin Stanislavsky in Moscow and Ida Rubinstein in Paris. His style was rich and architectural. As a painter his work included landscapes, still-lifes, and portraits, among them several of notable stage personalities (Chaliapin in the Role of Boris Godunov, Russian Museum, St Petersburg, 1912). |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.566-1989 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2009 |
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