Costume Design
Costume Design
1968 (painted, Drawn)
1968 (painted, Drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Most costume designs show a single costume, which means that it can be difficult to visualise what it would look like on stage as one among many. Alix Stone would often draw groups of characters together, so that everyone could see the place of each design in the overall scheme. This was particularly important when designing opera, where the chorus usually works as a unit as well as individuals.
Designing everyday working clothes is perhaps more difficult than recreating period clothes. There is a danger of overall drabness or similarity of style. This is especially true in an opera like Peter Grimes, set in a Suffolk fishing village, where most men would wear traditional gurnsey sweaters and rubber boots, but there is also a number of tradesmen which help give a visual variety to the scene. Drawing groups again ensures that there is a sufficient varied look to the ensemble.
Designing everyday working clothes is perhaps more difficult than recreating period clothes. There is a danger of overall drabness or similarity of style. This is especially true in an opera like Peter Grimes, set in a Suffolk fishing village, where most men would wear traditional gurnsey sweaters and rubber boots, but there is also a number of tradesmen which help give a visual variety to the scene. Drawing groups again ensures that there is a sufficient varied look to the ensemble.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Costume Design (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, Pen & Ink, Ink, and Black Crayon, on Paper |
| Brief description | Costume design by Alix Stone for Eric Shilling as Lamprett Bellboys in "Penny for a Song", Sadler's Wells Opera, Sadler's Wells, October 31st 1967 |
| Physical description | Costume design for John Shaw as Captain Balstrode and Male Chorus. The design depicts 6 full length male figures wearing mid 19th century style costume in shades of grey, brown, and dark blue. A pencil drawing of a man's head is in the upper right hand corner. A fabric swatch is stapled to the lower right hand corner. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Alix Stone |
| Object history | This costume design by Alix Stone is part of an extensive collection of designs purchased by the Theatre Museum directly from the artist in 1994. The design was executed for a production of Benjamin Britten's opera "Peter Grimes", performed by Scottish Opera at the Edinburgh King's Theatre, August 19th 1968. The libretto by Montagu Slater is based on George Crabbe's poem "The Borough". The production was conducted by Alexander Gibson; directed by Colin Graham; and lit by Charles Bristow. The cast included Richard Cassilly as Peter and Phyllis Curtin as Ellen Orford. The production was later revived by Scottish Opera in the springs of 1973 and 1980, and by English National Opera North in the spring of 1979. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Associations | |
| Literary reference | Peter Grimes |
| Summary | Most costume designs show a single costume, which means that it can be difficult to visualise what it would look like on stage as one among many. Alix Stone would often draw groups of characters together, so that everyone could see the place of each design in the overall scheme. This was particularly important when designing opera, where the chorus usually works as a unit as well as individuals. Designing everyday working clothes is perhaps more difficult than recreating period clothes. There is a danger of overall drabness or similarity of style. This is especially true in an opera like Peter Grimes, set in a Suffolk fishing village, where most men would wear traditional gurnsey sweaters and rubber boots, but there is also a number of tradesmen which help give a visual variety to the scene. Drawing groups again ensures that there is a sufficient varied look to the ensemble. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.240-2001 |
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| Record created | June 1, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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