Costume Design
1959 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain's leading theatre designer throughout the 1930s, '40s and '50s, mastering every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as working in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic concepts were perfectly in tune with the times and earned him an international reputation. By 1960, however, that style was becoming unfashionable, and Messel gradually abandoned theatre and built a new career designing luxury homes in the Caribbean.
Der Rosenkavalier, an opera by Richard Strauss (1909-1910), was mounted at Glyndebourne in 1959 in tribute to Carl Ebert, who retired that year after 25 years as the director of Glyndebourne. The action takes place in 18th century Vienna during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. Messel designed the settings and costumes and created a lavish rococo fantasy. This was his last production for Glyndebourne.
The boorish Baron Ochs employs Annina and her partner Valzacchi to find information about a pretty chambermaid, unaware that the maid is in fact a disguised young nobleman, Octavian. When the Baron offends Annina, she and Valzacchi change their allegiances, for a price, and help Octavian win Sophie, the Baron's young fiancée. At Glyndebourne the role of Annina was sung by Nancy Evans.
Der Rosenkavalier, an opera by Richard Strauss (1909-1910), was mounted at Glyndebourne in 1959 in tribute to Carl Ebert, who retired that year after 25 years as the director of Glyndebourne. The action takes place in 18th century Vienna during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. Messel designed the settings and costumes and created a lavish rococo fantasy. This was his last production for Glyndebourne.
The boorish Baron Ochs employs Annina and her partner Valzacchi to find information about a pretty chambermaid, unaware that the maid is in fact a disguised young nobleman, Octavian. When the Baron offends Annina, she and Valzacchi change their allegiances, for a price, and help Octavian win Sophie, the Baron's young fiancée. At Glyndebourne the role of Annina was sung by Nancy Evans.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Charcoal, watercolour and gold paint on paper |
| Brief description | Costume design by Oliver Messel for Annina in Richard Strauss's opera Der Rosenkavalier, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1959. |
| Physical description | Costume design by Oliver Messel for Annina in Der Rosenkavalier, 1959. Full length female figure wearing an 18th century style gown in yellow, the wide skirt decorated with black 'lace' scallops and trimmings. She has a black cloak with a hood and carries a fan in her right hand. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A |
| Object history | Der Rosenkavalier (1909-1910), an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with libretto by Hugo von Hofsmannsthal. The production designed by Oliver Messel was first performed by the Glyndebourne Festival Opera at Glyndebourne on 28 May 1959. It was directed by Carl Ebert and featured Elisabeth Söderström as Octavian, Regine Crespin as the Marschallin and Anneliese Rothenberger as Sophie. It was revived at Glyndebourne in 1960 and 1965. This was Messel’s last Glyndebourne production. Lord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatre designs and other designs and artefacts. The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005. Historical significance: Messel worked for Glyndebourne from 1951 to 1959, when he was at the height of his popularity as a designer for the stage. His Glyndebourne designs are regarded as some of his best work. |
| Summary | Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain's leading theatre designer throughout the 1930s, '40s and '50s, mastering every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as working in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic concepts were perfectly in tune with the times and earned him an international reputation. By 1960, however, that style was becoming unfashionable, and Messel gradually abandoned theatre and built a new career designing luxury homes in the Caribbean. Der Rosenkavalier, an opera by Richard Strauss (1909-1910), was mounted at Glyndebourne in 1959 in tribute to Carl Ebert, who retired that year after 25 years as the director of Glyndebourne. The action takes place in 18th century Vienna during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. Messel designed the settings and costumes and created a lavish rococo fantasy. This was his last production for Glyndebourne. The boorish Baron Ochs employs Annina and her partner Valzacchi to find information about a pretty chambermaid, unaware that the maid is in fact a disguised young nobleman, Octavian. When the Baron offends Annina, she and Valzacchi change their allegiances, for a price, and help Octavian win Sophie, the Baron's young fiancée. At Glyndebourne the role of Annina was sung by Nancy Evans. |
| Bibliographic reference | Pinkham, Roger (ed.) Oliver Messel: an exhibition held at the Theatre Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, 22 June - 30 September 1983.
London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. 200p., ill. |
| Other number | ROT 2803 - TM Rotation Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.817-2011 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 26, 2011 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
