Falstaff
Theatre Design
1961 (made)
1961 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Set design by Franco Zeffirelli for the exterior of the Garter Inn in Act III scene i of Verdi's opera, Falstaff, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1961.
Director Franco Zeffirelli designed the settings, costumes and lighting for his own production of Falstaff, which opened at Covent Garden on 10 May 1961. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph (10 May 1961), he not only devised the set but also assisted with the painting and was concerned to create realistic effects - he had visited Stratford-upon-Avon in order 'to see just what light was produced by the English sun on a Tudor building.' The result of this research was a basic set, which reminded reviewers of 'some galleried, half-timbered inn courtyard - as it might be the George at Southwark' (The Times, 11 May 1961), and could be converted into the opera's five locations. Critics found that it worked best for interiors, particularly the scene inside Ford's house.
Though first night reviews were not overwhelmingly positive, critics enjoyed the Falstaff of Geraint Evans and the production proved popular with audiences and was revived throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The final performances were in 1978.
Director Franco Zeffirelli designed the settings, costumes and lighting for his own production of Falstaff, which opened at Covent Garden on 10 May 1961. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph (10 May 1961), he not only devised the set but also assisted with the painting and was concerned to create realistic effects - he had visited Stratford-upon-Avon in order 'to see just what light was produced by the English sun on a Tudor building.' The result of this research was a basic set, which reminded reviewers of 'some galleried, half-timbered inn courtyard - as it might be the George at Southwark' (The Times, 11 May 1961), and could be converted into the opera's five locations. Critics found that it worked best for interiors, particularly the scene inside Ford's house.
Though first night reviews were not overwhelmingly positive, critics enjoyed the Falstaff of Geraint Evans and the production proved popular with audiences and was revived throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The final performances were in 1978.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Falstaff (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Watercolour, pencil and crayon on paper |
Brief description | Set design by Franco Zeffirelli for the exterior of the Garter Inn in Act III scene i of Verdi's opera, Falstaff, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1961 |
Physical description | Set design for the exterior of the Garter Inn in Act III scene i of <i>Falstaff</i>, showing a two-storey timbered loggia joining two sections of a building, with stairs to each side leading to upper levels, left and right. Attached to the building, right, a 'wrought iron' sign showing a leg with a garter. Pencil annotations to left and right sides. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Credit line | Acquired with the support of the Friends of the V&A |
Literary reference | The Merry Wives of Windsor |
Summary | Set design by Franco Zeffirelli for the exterior of the Garter Inn in Act III scene i of Verdi's opera, Falstaff, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1961. Director Franco Zeffirelli designed the settings, costumes and lighting for his own production of Falstaff, which opened at Covent Garden on 10 May 1961. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph (10 May 1961), he not only devised the set but also assisted with the painting and was concerned to create realistic effects - he had visited Stratford-upon-Avon in order 'to see just what light was produced by the English sun on a Tudor building.' The result of this research was a basic set, which reminded reviewers of 'some galleried, half-timbered inn courtyard - as it might be the George at Southwark' (The Times, 11 May 1961), and could be converted into the opera's five locations. Critics found that it worked best for interiors, particularly the scene inside Ford's house. Though first night reviews were not overwhelmingly positive, critics enjoyed the Falstaff of Geraint Evans and the production proved popular with audiences and was revived throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The final performances were in 1978. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.2187-2014 |
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Record created | February 18, 2015 |
Record URL |
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