Theatre Costume thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Theatre Costume

1975 (made)
Artist/Maker

Collared coat in 18th century style, heavily pleated to back, of creamy and white furnishing brocade in a flower and leaf design, the full length sleeves with bold turned back cuffs, the pocket flaps boldly serrated. The fronts and cuffs are overlaid with an elaborate gold metal thread braid decorated with small copper coloured sequins over which is a stiffened square net heavily encrusted with guipre lace coloured gold set with complexly constructed rosettes in gold or white and silver braids around gold metal or loop embroidered centres, and flower rosettes of rose tinted fabrics, the centres of orange gold looped braid with various trimmings including stylized leaves, gold lace and chenille edged lace; all rosettes are scattered with gold and silver faceted sequins. The back opening is edged with the same elaborate braid.
On the cuffs, turn backs,under the pockets and to the top of either pleat are large brocade-covered buttons. The pockets are decorated with a bold braid band of the gold lace under which is laid the bold sequinned lace. The edges of the coat and sleeves are edged with gold metalled braid. The chenille leaves are painted green. The coat is lined with cream artificial silk lining.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brocade, sequins, net, lace, gold braid, white and silver braid, synthetic silk
Brief description
18th century style coat of creamy white furnishing fabric, the turned back cuffs and fronts richly decorated with gold and silver lace and braid, lace and braid rosettes and sequins, designed by David Walker for the Italian Singer in Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier, English National Opera, 1975
Physical description
Collared coat in 18th century style, heavily pleated to back, of creamy and white furnishing brocade in a flower and leaf design, the full length sleeves with bold turned back cuffs, the pocket flaps boldly serrated. The fronts and cuffs are overlaid with an elaborate gold metal thread braid decorated with small copper coloured sequins over which is a stiffened square net heavily encrusted with guipre lace coloured gold set with complexly constructed rosettes in gold or white and silver braids around gold metal or loop embroidered centres, and flower rosettes of rose tinted fabrics, the centres of orange gold looped braid with various trimmings including stylized leaves, gold lace and chenille edged lace; all rosettes are scattered with gold and silver faceted sequins. The back opening is edged with the same elaborate braid.
On the cuffs, turn backs,under the pockets and to the top of either pleat are large brocade-covered buttons. The pockets are decorated with a bold braid band of the gold lace under which is laid the bold sequinned lace. The edges of the coat and sleeves are edged with gold metalled braid. The chenille leaves are painted green. The coat is lined with cream artificial silk lining.
Dimensions
  • Collar to hem length: 103cm (approximate)
  • Widest point width: 47cm (approximate)
  • Whole costume, including breeches and waistcoat. weight: 5.9kg (approximate)
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Printing) 'ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA / PRODUCTION:' (handwriting) 'ROSENKAVALIER' / (printing) 'ACT: SCENE: / Character: ' (handwriting) 'SINGER' / (printing) 'Name' (handwriting) 'J. TALBOT' (Label; Inside back neck)
  • 'ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA / PRODUCTION: / ACT: SCENE: / Character / Name' (Label; Inside back neck; Printing)
  • 'ROSENKAVALIER / SINGER / J. TALBOT' (Label; Inside back neck; Handwriting; Ink)
Credit line
Given by English National Opera
Object history
The coat is part of the costume designed by David Walker for theItalian Singer in Richard Strauss' opera Der Rosenkavalier, English National Opera, 1975.

Historical significance: A fine example of theatre costume making from the 1970s, showing how period costume can be at once a reflection of historical understand and theatrical effectiveness, so that it is recognisable as period costume but, in its cut and use of materials, obvious as a creation of its time.
Collection
Accession number
S.264:1-1999

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Record createdSeptember 1, 2000
Record URL
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