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Not currently on display at the V&A

Maria Bjornson design

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

Design for Carlotta in the Masquerade in Act II, scene i, of The Phantom of the Opera, showing a full length female figure in a low cut, tight fitting,dark purple bodice of vertical panels with scalloped lower edges, the seams edged with white beads, the bust decorated with a motif in the form of a bat with outstretched wings and with white and gold beaded fringe, the same fringe forming shoulder straps, and a calf length, transparent, stiff skirt in the shape of the upper portion of a crinoline frame, decorated all over with a pattern of spiders' webs, the hem shaped to suggest the edges of a web, the waist decorated with a similar beaded fringe. To the back of the bodice are attached 'bat's wings', the ribs beaded, the wings decorated with a pattern of spiders' webs. She wears a headdress of similar wing shapes, bracelets and rings decorated with spiders, and black ankle boots, and in her right hand carries a mask in the shape of a bat. Black and silver patterned swatches of fabric and net attached by metal pins to the right hand edge and the upper left hand corner. The design is signed and is inscribed in pencil with the production title, the theatre, the scene, the name of the character and actor, and costume details.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMaria Bjornson design (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil, pen and ink, gouache and photocopy on paper, with attached fabric swatches
Brief description
Design by Maria Bjornson for Carlotta in the Masquerade in Act II, scene i, of The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre, 1986
Physical description
Design for Carlotta in the Masquerade in Act II, scene i, of The Phantom of the Opera, showing a full length female figure in a low cut, tight fitting,dark purple bodice of vertical panels with scalloped lower edges, the seams edged with white beads, the bust decorated with a motif in the form of a bat with outstretched wings and with white and gold beaded fringe, the same fringe forming shoulder straps, and a calf length, transparent, stiff skirt in the shape of the upper portion of a crinoline frame, decorated all over with a pattern of spiders' webs, the hem shaped to suggest the edges of a web, the waist decorated with a similar beaded fringe. To the back of the bodice are attached 'bat's wings', the ribs beaded, the wings decorated with a pattern of spiders' webs. She wears a headdress of similar wing shapes, bracelets and rings decorated with spiders, and black ankle boots, and in her right hand carries a mask in the shape of a bat. Black and silver patterned swatches of fabric and net attached by metal pins to the right hand edge and the upper left hand corner. The design is signed and is inscribed in pencil with the production title, the theatre, the scene, the name of the character and actor, and costume details.
Dimensions
  • Height: 418mm
  • Width: 340mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Carlotta Masquerade / Rosie Ash. 2.1.' (Textual information; Upper right hand corner; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Based on / Lola Montez / 'Spider Dance' / Tour' (Textual information; Upper right hand side of figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Spider skirt / 'frame' of cobwebbs / metal + crin / spokes must / be light.' (Textual information; Lower right hand side of figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • 'Quick / change into / second / Managers 2.2.' (Textual information; Lower left hand side of figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • '(26)' (Textual information; Beneath figure; Handwriting; Pencil)
  • ' 'Phantom of the Opera' Her Majesties' Theatre' (Textual information; Lower edge; 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. Carlotta was played by Rosemary Ashe.
Literary reference<i>The Phantom of the Opera</i>
Bibliographic reference
Maria Björnson. London: 1997 no.92
Collection
Accession number
S.277-1999

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Record createdSeptember 4, 2000
Record URL
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