Maria Bjornson design
Costume Design
1986 (drawn)
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 | |
Title | Maria 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 |
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Production type | Unique |
Marks and inscriptions |
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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 created | September 4, 2000 |
Record URL |
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