Not currently on display at the V&A

Gloriana

Costume Design
1966 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Costume design for Queen Elizabeth I in Act I Scene 1. The design, executed in pencil, depicts a three quarter length female figure wearing a 16th century style costume. The costume consists of a farthingale skirt, bodice with stomacher and wide sleeves that gather at the wrist and are edged with lace cuffs. The figure also wears an elaborate ruff around the neck and shoulders, and an elaborate headdress decorated with jewels and a plume. There is a detailed drawing of the headdress plume in the upper left hand corner. Unsigned by the artist.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleGloriana (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pencil on Paper
Brief description
Costume design by Alix Stone for Queen Elizabeth I in Act I Scene 1 of "Gloriana", Sadler's Wells Opera, 1966.
Physical description
Costume design for Queen Elizabeth I in Act I Scene 1. The design, executed in pencil, depicts a three quarter length female figure wearing a 16th century style costume. The costume consists of a farthingale skirt, bodice with stomacher and wide sleeves that gather at the wrist and are edged with lace cuffs. The figure also wears an elaborate ruff around the neck and shoulders, and an elaborate headdress decorated with jewels and a plume. There is a detailed drawing of the headdress plume in the upper left hand corner. Unsigned by the artist.
Dimensions
  • Height: 381mm
  • Width: 303mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • ' Tourney - / Act I Sc I ' (Textual information; Lower left hand corner.; handwriting; pencil; Stone, Alix)
  • ' Oversleeves ' (Textual information; Upper right hand side, close to the figure's left shoulder.; handwriting; pencil; Stone, Alix)
  • ' Comb added / to Headdress / for Tourney ' (Textual information; Upper left hand corner.; handwriting; pencil; Stone, Alix)
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 "Gloriana" by the Sadler's Wells Opera at Sadler's Wells, October 21st 1966. The libretto by William Plomer is based on Lytton Strachey's book "Elizabeth & Essex". The opera was produced by Colin Graham, conducted by Mario Bernardi, choreographed by Peter Darrell, and lit by Charles Bristow. Sylvia Fisher sang the role of Queen Elizabeth I, John Wakefield was Essex, and John Cameron was Cecil. The production was revived at Sadler's Wells in September 1967, and March 1968. It was also performed at the Aldeburgh Festival in June 1968.

In Fenruary 1969 the designs were revised by Alix Stone when Sadler's Wells Opera (later English National Opera) moved to the much larger stage of the London Coliseum. This revised production was revived at the Coliseum in August 1972, February 1975, and March 1984 (when it was recorded for Channel 4 TV and released on video). The production also toured to the Vienna Volksoper in June 1975; and to the USA where it was performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in the summer of 1984.
Production
Reason For Production: Commission
Subjects depicted
Associations
Literary references
  • Gloriana
  • Elizabeth & Essex
Collection
Accession number
S.16-2002

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Record createdJanuary 16, 2002
Record URL
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