Costume Design
Costume Design
1966 (drawn)
1966 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Peter Rice (1928-2015) was one of the leading British theatre designers of the second half of the 20th century. He has designed settings and costumes for the major British ballet, opera and theatre companies and is particularly noted for his work at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the Old Vic and Glyndebourne. He frequently worked with director William Chappell and in 1966 they collaborated on the premiere of Malcolm Williamson's opera, The Violins of Saint-Jacques, for which Chappell also wrote the libretto.
Adapted from the novel by Patrick Leigh Fermor, itself inspired by historical events, the opera takes place on a Caribbean island in 1902. Its story of tangled love affairs amongst a community of French aristocrats is set against a background of voodoo, and ends with a volcanic eruption which destroys the island. Rice's designs for the costumes are good examples of his detailed naturalistic style. Much of the action takes place at a Marde Gras ball. This design is for one of the dancers.
Adapted from the novel by Patrick Leigh Fermor, itself inspired by historical events, the opera takes place on a Caribbean island in 1902. Its story of tangled love affairs amongst a community of French aristocrats is set against a background of voodoo, and ends with a volcanic eruption which destroys the island. Rice's designs for the costumes are good examples of his detailed naturalistic style. Much of the action takes place at a Marde Gras ball. This design is for one of the dancers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Costume Design (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Paint, ink and crayon on brown paper. |
| Brief description | Costume design by Peter Rice for a dancer in Malcolm Williamson's opera, The Violins of Saint-Jacques, Sadler's Wells 1966 |
| Physical description | Full length masked male figure wearing a Ruritanian-style military jacket with no sleeves, gold epaulette and frogging. White serrated undershirt and tartan puffed knee length panniered breeches. The figure is wearing a black hat and carrying a green wand. Pieces of string stuck onto margin with sticky tape. Design drawn on to brown paper and stuck onto a piece of white backing paper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Patricia Fara in memory of Stephen and Helen Fenlaugh |
| Object history | Costume designed for The Violins of Saint- Jacques, an opera by Australian composer Malcolm Williamson (libretto by William Chappell), produced at Sadler's Wells, London, on 29 November 1966. This is a design for a dancer. Images of further designs for this production, along with reviews and the full theatre programme can be seen in The Violins of Saint-Jacques production file at the Theatre Collection Archive at Blythe House. |
| Literary reference | <i>The Violins of Saint-Jacques</i> |
| Summary | Peter Rice (1928-2015) was one of the leading British theatre designers of the second half of the 20th century. He has designed settings and costumes for the major British ballet, opera and theatre companies and is particularly noted for his work at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the Old Vic and Glyndebourne. He frequently worked with director William Chappell and in 1966 they collaborated on the premiere of Malcolm Williamson's opera, The Violins of Saint-Jacques, for which Chappell also wrote the libretto. Adapted from the novel by Patrick Leigh Fermor, itself inspired by historical events, the opera takes place on a Caribbean island in 1902. Its story of tangled love affairs amongst a community of French aristocrats is set against a background of voodoo, and ends with a volcanic eruption which destroys the island. Rice's designs for the costumes are good examples of his detailed naturalistic style. Much of the action takes place at a Marde Gras ball. This design is for one of the dancers. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.67-2007 |
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| Record created | April 24, 2009 |
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