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Theatre Costume

circa 1909-1918 (designed)
Artist/Maker

Costume designed by Sonia Delaunay for Amoun in the revived production of Cléopâtre first presented at the London Coliseum in 1918. The costume consists of a strap which fastens over the shoulders and across the chest and a short, semicircular, skirt.

Both the chest piece and skirt are made from cotton and decorated with appliqued motifs in satin and velvet outlined in heavy metallic braid. The chest piece is a dull purple and decorated with small black triangular motifs interspersed with thick lines of braid. It fastens at the back with large hooks and eyes. The skirt section has a purple ground and is decorated with stripes and half circles in orange, green and black. The skirt consists of a series of panels with a large, semicircular, central panel and smaller circular panels on either side.

Cléopâtre was a one act, dramatic ballet, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to music by Anton Arensky. Additional music was added for specific dances by Sergei Taneyev (Prelude); Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov (Entry of Cleopatra); Mikhail Glinka (Veil Dance); Alexander Glazounov (Bacchanale) and Moussorgsky (Persian Dance). It was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 2 June 1909 at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris. The first London performance took place on the 7th of July 1911, at the Royal Opera House. The scenery and costumes for the original production were designed by Leon Bakst, but in 1918 Robert Delauney was engaged to produce set designs for a revised production. This revised production included new costumes for Cleopatra and Amoun designed by Sonia Delaunay.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
  • Theatre Costume
  • Dance Costume
Brief description
Costume for Amoun in Mikhail Fokine's ballet Cleopatre, Diaghilev Ballet, redesigned by Sonia Delaunay 1918. Chest bandeau and skirt.
Physical description
Costume for Amoun in Cléopâtre. The costumes for this production were originally designed by Léon Bakst in 1909 but were redesigned by Sonia Delaunday in 1918. The costume consists of a very revealing strap which fastens over the shoulders and across the chest and a short, semicular, skirt.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1700mm (Note: Display footprint (as mounted).)
  • Width: 650mm (Note: Display footprint (as mounted).)
  • Depth: 600mm (Note: Display footprint (as mounted).)
  • Circumference of hat circumference: 56.6cm
  • Length of hat from base to point but it was not worn stiffly pointed length: 55cm
  • Width of blanck and white brim of hat width: 10.6cm
Literary referenceCléopâtre
Summary
Costume designed by Sonia Delaunay for Amoun in the revived production of Cléopâtre first presented at the London Coliseum in 1918. The costume consists of a strap which fastens over the shoulders and across the chest and a short, semicircular, skirt.

Both the chest piece and skirt are made from cotton and decorated with appliqued motifs in satin and velvet outlined in heavy metallic braid. The chest piece is a dull purple and decorated with small black triangular motifs interspersed with thick lines of braid. It fastens at the back with large hooks and eyes. The skirt section has a purple ground and is decorated with stripes and half circles in orange, green and black. The skirt consists of a series of panels with a large, semicircular, central panel and smaller circular panels on either side.

Cléopâtre was a one act, dramatic ballet, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to music by Anton Arensky. Additional music was added for specific dances by Sergei Taneyev (Prelude); Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov (Entry of Cleopatra); Mikhail Glinka (Veil Dance); Alexander Glazounov (Bacchanale) and Moussorgsky (Persian Dance). It was first performed by the Ballets Russes on 2 June 1909 at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris. The first London performance took place on the 7th of July 1911, at the Royal Opera House. The scenery and costumes for the original production were designed by Leon Bakst, but in 1918 Robert Delauney was engaged to produce set designs for a revised production. This revised production included new costumes for Cleopatra and Amoun designed by Sonia Delaunay.
Collection
Accession number
S.2488-1986

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
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