Maria Bjornson design thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Maria Bjornson design

Costume Design
1986 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Design for The Phantom in his Lair in Act I, scene vi of The Phantom of the Opera, showing a full length male figure wearing a multi-coloured Chinese robe over a white evening shirt with pleated front, a white bow tie and black trousers, and a black and gold Chinese mandarin style hat. He sits at a fantastical organ-cum-writing-desk with large bellows to each side, each bellows standing on a low structure of two curving steps and surrounded by four thin metal candlesticks linked by curving metal bars, the candle holders containing white candles with exaggerated dripping wax. Between the bellows are foot pedals from which thin metal pipes lead up to a desk or music stand on which are sheets of paper. The Phantom holds a quill pen in his right hand and wears a white diagonal half mask covering the right hand side of his face. Multi-coloured fabric swatches are attached by metal pins to the right hand edge. The design is signed and is inscribed in pencil with the production title, the theatre, the scene, the name of the character and the actor, and costume details.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMaria Bjornson design (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, pen and ink, gouache and gold paint on paper, with attached fabric swatches
Brief description
Design by Maria Bjornson for The Phantom in Act I, scene vi, of The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre, 1986
Physical description
Design for The Phantom in his Lair in Act I, scene vi of The Phantom of the Opera, showing a full length male figure wearing a multi-coloured Chinese robe over a white evening shirt with pleated front, a white bow tie and black trousers, and a black and gold Chinese mandarin style hat. He sits at a fantastical organ-cum-writing-desk with large bellows to each side, each bellows standing on a low structure of two curving steps and surrounded by four thin metal candlesticks linked by curving metal bars, the candle holders containing white candles with exaggerated dripping wax. Between the bellows are foot pedals from which thin metal pipes lead up to a desk or music stand on which are sheets of paper. The Phantom holds a quill pen in his right hand and wears a white diagonal half mask covering the right hand side of his face. Multi-coloured fabric swatches are attached by metal pins to the right hand edge. The design is signed and is inscribed in pencil with the production title, the theatre, the scene, the name of the character and the actor, and costume details.
Dimensions
  • Height: 417mm
  • Width: 421mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'The Phantom in Lair Act 1 sc 6 / Michael Crawford.' (Textual information; Upper right hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Chinese robe / Old pieces of Chinese / embroidery appliqué. / to be put on stage / after 'Music of the Night'' (Textual information; Upper right hand side of figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'removable / candle / for last / scene in / Act II / bellows / worked by / the Phantom / adjustable / swivel / chair.' (Textual information; Left hand side of figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • ' 'Phantom of the Opera' Her Majesties Theatre' (Textual information; Lower left hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Maria Bjornson' (Signature; Lower right hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
Object history
This design was made for the first production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre, 9 October 1986. The Phantom was played by Michael Crawford.
Literary reference<i>The Phantom of the Opera</i>
Bibliographic reference
Maria Björnson. London: 1997 no.87
Collection
Accession number
S.275-1999

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Record createdSeptember 4, 2000
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